Soldier's Edge
by Garrett 67
Summary: My names is James Hudson. I used to be a soldier, now they call me 'traitor'. My world is in danger, and it's up to me and my companions to either save it, or destroy it.  A fic spanning the entire game from the POV of an OC. *Spoiler Alert* OC/Lightning.
1. Traitor to Duty

**TRAITOR TO DUTY**

* * *

_Cocoon – a utopia in the sky._

_Its inhabitants believed their world a paradise. Under the Sanctum's rule, Cocoon had long known peace and prosperity._

_Mankind was blessed by its protectors, the benevolent fal'Cie, and believed that tranquil days would continue forever._

_Their tranquility was shattered with the discovery of one hostile fal'Cie._

_The moment that fal'Cie from Pulse – the feared and detested lowerworld – awoke from its slumber, peace on Cocoon came to an end._

_Fal'Cie curse humans, turning them into magic-wielding servants._

_They become l'Cie – chosen of the fal'Cie._

_Those branded with the mark of a l'Cie carry the burden of either fulfilling their Focus or facing a fate harsher than death itself._

_A prayer for redemption._

_A wish to protect the world._

_A promise to challenge destiny._

_After thirteen days of fates intertwined, the battle begins._

* * *

"Hudson! Are you paying attention!"

I rolled my eyes, a gesture which my commanding officer couldn't see due to my helmet.

"Of course," I said. "We go in, Purge people, and then Purge the vestige."

My CO muttered something under his breath, and I grinned under my helmet.

"Alright, Hudson, you take your squad down to the Hanging Edge; there's been some trouble with the Purge deportees there."

I frowned. "Trouble?"

"The people aren't being very cooperative," he spat harshly.

I raised my eyebrows at his tone. "I don't blame them. If I was about to be relocated to Pulse, I'd fight back too."

Though I never would have said it to my CO, I felt sorry for the citizens of Bodhum. All of them Purged simply because they lived too close to something from Pulse. I understood the reason behind the Purge, but that didn't mean I was happy about it.

Sometimes my job really sucked.

I turned to face the seven PSICOM soldiers that stood at attention before me. My frown deepened as I noticed that the majority of them were fresh out of the academy. These rookies wouldn't last five seconds in the Hanging Edge. Not if the situation reports were accurate.

"Okay team, hustle up!" I barked at them. "Weapons check."

I watched in silence as my squad looked over their weapons. Of the seven before me, only two knew what they were doing. While those two quickly checked their ammo and safety switches, the other five simply looked over their rifles.

I shook my head at their abysmal display.

"Check that your safety's on," I said, flicking the switch on my own black and silver rifle. "Then make sure that your clip is secure." I ejected the clip, checked the bullets, tapped the clip once against the rifle – an idiosyncrasy of mine – then slid it back in.

I waited as they copied my demonstration.

"Okay, the jump's in two minutes. Make sure you've got your grav-con in hand." I withdrew the small device from my pouch as I spoke.

I heard a loud ding and looked up at the two lights above the hatch of the airship. One was green, and the other was yellow, illuminating brightly.

"Get ready."

My 8-man squad—including me—lined up in two lines facing the hatch. The tension was almost visible.

The man in front of me was trembling, his fist clenched around his grav-con unit.

I put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Calm down."

Why couldn't they have given me a more experienced team?

A huge gust of wind rocked the inside of the craft as the hatch slowly opened. I braced myself, the wind buffeting around me.

Another loud ding and the green light lit up.

"Go!" I shouted above the wind.

One after another, my squad leaped out of the airship. One even screamed as he fell.

Finally, I was the last one left. I took a step forward when a hand on my shoulder stopped me.

"New orders, direct from the Sanctum."

My CO was standing behind me.

"What are the orders?"

"Sanctum says that all the deportees are now classified as targets. They want us to take them all out."

I blinked as what he said registered. "Take them out? What about the Purge?" I shouted.

He shook his head. "This one's from the top."

I thought about that for a minute. The Sanctum was only doing what was 'moral' by Purging everyone. Anybody who lived in proximity to the Pulse Fal'Cie that had been discovered in the Vestige was a threat. There was no telling how many of them could have been cursed already. The risk was too great, hence the Purge.

But now the Sanctum wanted everyone dead. Why? Did they think the deportation of so many people to be too much of a bother?

"What about the Vestige?" I asked roughly, clenching my teeth and balling my hands into fists.

"To be destroyed."

Destroyed. So the Pulse Fal'Cie dies alongside the innocent citizens. What was the Sanctum up to? Why go to all the

trouble of creating the Purge in the first place if slaughter was the objective?

"James?"

My thoughts were interrupted at the sound of my name.

When I glanced up, my CO stared at me intently, brow furrowed.

"Why?" I asked simply. The question wasn't directed only at him.

"Orders are orders, James," he replied gently.

"Orders," I muttered bitterly.

It didn't take me long to decide upon a course of action. I couldn't shoot innocent people. It wasn't their fault that a Pulse Fal'Cie had been discovered so close to them. Deportation to Pulse was already an extreme. No one deserved to be sent to that place, that Hell. Only death awaited them there.

Apparently, death was here as well.

There was nowhere for them to escape.

I nodded once at my CO, and he looked relieved at my seeming acceptance.

Then I jumped.

The air rushed past me, but my black and silver PSICOM uniform protected me from the harmful wind.

I could already see the rest of my squad waiting for me.

As I neared the ground, I pressed the button to activate my grav-con unit.

I somersaulted out of my nosedive and landed on the bridge in a crouch. It was as if I had just jumped in the air, and not out of an airship that was hovering forty miles above me.

Smiling, I slowly stood. I was sure my landing had been impressive. That ought to show the rookies how it's done.

Placing the grav-con unit back in the pouch at my waist, I looked around.

The Hanging Edge was a sprawling district of bridges and platforms, and it seemed that a fire fight dominated each one of them. In the center of the district was the Pulse Vestige.

"Okay, everyone switch to frequency 118.6," I told my squad once I had gotten their attention.

I paused as they adjusted their radio to the specified frequency. I didn't want anybody listening in.

"Can everybody hear me?"

Seven nods answered me.

"We've got new orders, direct from the top," I said, getting straight to the point. "The Sanctum wants us to kill everybody who was going to be Purged."

My team gasped.

"I'm a soldier, same as you. I've done some bad things, things that I'm not proud of, but orders are orders, and I obeyed," I said. "But this is mass-murder! This is crossing the line!"

I waited for someone to speak. When none did, I told them what I planned to do.

"So I'm going to try and get everyone to safety."

More silence.

"The Sanctum punishes traitors with death, and after this, that's exactly what I'll be, a traitor to PSICOM and the Sanctum, an enemy of Cocoon."

I paused to let my words sink in. Most of them were shaking their heads.

"If anyone else thinks that what the Sanctum is doing here isn't the right thing to do, feel free to join me." I paused before continuing. "If anyone wants to follow orders and murder Cocoon's people," my tone sounded dark and harsh, threatening, exactly as I had intended, "we part as enemies."

They shifted at my words. Of the seven that surrounded me, only two came to stand beside me; the rest backed away as if I were a crazy person.

"If we follow you, if we turn our backs on the Sanctum," one of them said, "we'll die."

A couple of them nodded.

I approached the soldier who spoke.

"So you would rather kill innocents, go against everything we stand for, than do what's right?" I asked.

He stepped back involuntarily at the menace in my words. "But – the Sanctum will Purge us too!" he said desperately.

I shook my head. "No, they'll probably kill us."

"But—"

"Everyone who agrees with this man here, raise your hand!" I ordered.

Four soldiers' hands rose slowly into the air.

I sighed, then raised my rifle and pointed it at the offender.

He gasped as he realized what was about to happen and quickly stepped backwards, stumbling in his haste.

I pulled the trigger.

Blood spurted from his uniform as he was sprayed with bullets, and I turned my weapon on the other four before his body hit the ground.

Within moments, five PSICOM soldiers lay dead.

I turned to face the remaining two members of my squad. They both stood there, still and statuesque, seemingly unperturbed by my display.

As I walked up to them, they fell into formation beside me, and slightly behind.

"Serves them right," one said.

I only nodded. I had killed before; it was nothing new to me. But this time was different. They hadn't been expecting it; I shot them in cold blood. A more reasonable part of me wrestled with the pessimistic voice inside my head. They _did_

deserve it. If I hadn't shot them, then they would have ended up killing more people to satisfy the Sanctum's orders.

"I know."

I pushed the voice to the back of my mind and concentrated on the matter at hand.

"Sit-rep," I said loudly, falling back into a tone more befitting of a PSICOM elite.

"Heavy resistance in all areas," the man to my left spoke. His voice was surprisingly deep. "It seems that NORA has

been recruiting."

NORA was the group of amateurs who fancied themselves heroes. I grimaced at the word. Taking out weak monsters with slingshots hardly classified as heroic.

"Where are they set up?" I asked.

He pointed at a platform near the vestige. "They've set up their base there, but they've got people all over the Hanging Edge. They're causing most of the trouble."

I nodded. "What else."

"Well..." He paused.

"What?" I asked forcibly.

"One of the Purge trains crashed."

"Any survivors?"

I waited for a response. When none came, I turned.

The soldier was shuffling his feet sheepishly.

"What?"

"Yeah, but that's not the problem."

"What _is_ the problem?"

"Two civilians from the train have been working their way through the district."

"Civilians?"

"Reports say that one's a woman in her early twenties, and fights like a soldier. She's been cutting her way through waves of our guys."

I thought about this. She _must_ be a soldier if she's managed to stay alive this long.

"We think she's headed to the vestige," he continued.

My brow furrowed. "She's not heading for safety?"

"No, sir."

I nodded again. "You said there were two of them?"

"The other's a male."

"Is he a soldier as well?"

The man shook his head.

That gave me two options. I could either aid the resistance fend off the PSICOM soldiers, or find out about this woman.

I had to admit, my interest was piqued, but the obvious choice would be to help NORA.

"Okay, we're heading for the resistance base," I said, reaching a decision.

The two beside me nodded, and fell into a jog behind me.

The three of us headed towards the end of the bridge, jumping down to another platform, and continuing on.

As we approached the end of the platform, we slowed, spotting five PSICOM soldiers standing at the edge.

They turned in unison as they heard our approach.

I grinned under my helmet. They were obviously green.

"Are you our backup?" one shouted at us.

I whispered into my earpiece, "On my go."

"No!" I yelled back, then quietly, "Go."

The result was instantaneous. All three of us pointed our rifles at the five soldiers and fired.

They were faster than I gave them credit for. Four of them dived behind cover as soon as we raised our weapons. The fifth wasn't so lucky.

The three of us crouched behind whatever cover we could find as the opposing four raised their rifles and blind-fired in our direction.

I waited for the sound of gunfire to cease before standing up and firing back. The enemies ducked down, but I managed to hit one before he cleared the line of fire.

The spray of blood that erupted from his helmet was oddly satisfying.

I crouched back down just in time to see one of my companions take several shots to the chest. He flew backwards with the force of the bullets.

I responded by firing back.

While swiftly ducking behind the crate, I heard the sound of bullets entering flesh.

Three down, two to go.

Beside me, my remaining cohort fired furiously, only to be riddled with bullets when he was too slow to return to cover.

It was time to get up close and personal.

Pushing a button on my rifle, I leaned back against the crate. I held the weapon out in front of me, holding each side. I watched as the weapon transformed in my hands, the parts separating and reforming so that I held what looked to be two blade hilts, one in each hand. Then the blades extended, one was jet black, the other was silver.

The entire process took less than a second.

I held the blades in my outstretched arms and prepared to spring.

The sound of gunfire ceased.

Launching myself over the crate, I closed the distance between myself and the two men in seconds.

I leaped over their cover, impaling my blade in one of the soldiers in mid-air, then turned towards the remaining soldier.

He lifted his gun, but he had no time to pull the trigger before my other blade—the silver one—decapitated him.

I rose out of my half-crouch and clicked the button on the hilt of my swords, sliding them together as I did so. The blades reverted back to their rifle form.

I eyed the weapon with a satisfied expression, briefly pausing to read the inscription on the side of the weapon.

_Soldier's Edge_.

It was a fitting name for such a deadly weapon.

The weapon had been a gift from my father. He was an armorer for the Sanctum. One of the best, before he succumbed to sickness two years ago. It was because of him that I joined PSICOM in the first place. I was 19 when I graduated from the academy, and now, four years later, I had reached the rank of PSICOM elite.

My father would have been proud.

Tightening my grip on the rifle, I continued onwards, jumping from the platform to the next bridge that would lead me to the resistance base.

I crossed several more bridges on the way to my destination, constantly hindered by the presence of PSICOM. But they

were no match for my combat skills.

As I crossed another platform, there was a loud explosion on the bridge across from my position. I turned to see the bridge split as it was hit by a missile from one of the PSICOM airships.

The center of the bridge collapsed, leaving it in two halves. One side seemed to split off from the other, and a section of that side collapsed, forming a ramp.

I watched in horror as civilians and soldiers alike plunged to their deaths.

A figure on the other side of the bridge caught my eye. It was a man in a tan trench coat, hanging desperately onto the end of the bridge. He held onto the hand of a woman, who dangled precariously beneath him.

Her hand was just barely starting to slip.

Then she fell.

My eyes grew wide as the woman plummeted to her doom.

I heard a scream permeate the air. On a platform overlooking the collapsed bridge were two people in white Purge cloaks. One had his hand outstretched towards the falling woman.

Then he was gone, pulled away by his companion.

On the collapsed bridge, the man in the trench coat pulled himself up.

Suddenly, I recognized him. He was Snow, the resistance leader. He had a reputation as a capable fighter and a determined personality. I remembered him from the files PSICOM had on NORA.

He was quickly joined by another man and, after exchanging words, they headed back along the bridge.

They must be heading back to base, I concluded. I needed to hurry.

Sprinting to the end of the bridge, I jumped to the adjoining platform, only to be greeted by the sight of a dark-skinned man with an afro and a green jacket.

But I paid no attention to him.

My eyes were completely focused on the woman beside him.

She had pink hair that flowed to one side in the soft breeze. Her white jacket was sleeveless and clung to her figure, accentuating her curves. A Guardian Corps rank plate was strapped to her left shoulder. Her blue eyes smouldered as they looked me up and down. In her hand was a menacing gunblade.

I raised my hands in surrender. This was obviously the woman my comrade spoke about.

"Don't shoot," I said calmly. "I'm on your side."

Her stance didn't relax.

The man next to her had his guns pointed at me, a puzzled expression on his face.

With agonizing slowness, I pulled my helmet off. "I'm here to help."

Her gunblade lowered ever so slightly at my words, but she continued to stare at me suspiciously.

"You're PSICOM," she said, confusion in her voice.

"Not anymore," I replied with a grin.

"What does that mean?" she asked, not in the mood for jokes.

"It means that I'm against this whole 'Purge' thing."

She continued to scrutinize me for another long moment.

"Listen" I said desperately, "I want to help." I tried to convey my sincerity with my voice and my eyes.

The man next to her spoke. "I think he's telling the truth. The fact that he hasn't attacked us yet-"

"Exactly – _yet_." She spoke in an undertone, still suspicious.

Then her eyes flickered over my shoulder.

I spun around to see a squad of PSICOM soldiers running towards us.

"There he is!" One shouted, pointing at me. "Take that traitor out!"

"Traitor, huh." The woman was suddenly standing at my side, her gunblade at the ready.

I felt a surge of relief at her words, and pressed the button on my rifle.

I let instinct take over as the soldiers raised their guns, and I sprinted forwards, barely noticing as the woman ran beside me.

Bullets whizzed past me as the the third member of our party fired at the soldiers. His aim was true, and two of them crumpled to the ground.

As we reached the soldiers, the woman veered off to the side, swinging her gunblade with swift, precise movements. Three fell victim to her ferocious attacks.

As the woman moved on, I carved a bloody path with my own blades. My strikes weren't as graceful as hers, but they yielded the same results, and the last three soldiers fell.

After a quick analysis of the scene surrounding her, the woman turned to me, her eyes cold.

Her companion hurried to stand beside her.

Again, her eyes looked me up and down.

"PSICOM obviously wants you dead," She said, a frown on her face. "Why?"

"I decided that the Purge wasn't in Cocoon's best interests." I told her.

After another searching look, she seemed to understand that I wasn't a threat. She retracted her gunblade and placed it in the sheath at her waist.

"Why aren't you leaving?" I asked her. The question had bothered me since I had first heard of her.

She just looked at me.

Apparently, she didn't want to share.

Suddenly, a colossal shadow passed over us, closely followed by several PSICOM airships pulling the Pulse Vestige beneath them.

She looked to me, then to the vestige, then she jumped, closely followed by her companion.

The movement took me by surprise. I stood there for a few seconds, stunned by her actions.

She had just leaped into the vestige when it was about to be destroyed!

Above me, a hoverbike roared towards the colossal Pulse monument. The man driving was easily recognizable, his tan trench coat flapping in the air as he flew around the alien structure. He didn't reappear on the other side.

What was in the vestige, apart from the Pulse Fal'Cie, that summoned them?

Out of the corner of my eye I saw another hoverbike approach the vestige. Two small figures, children, I realized with shock, were entering the vestige.

I switched over to the PSICOM frequency.

"Standby for my go, then blast it!" a commanding voice called.

That was all I needed to hear. I had about ten minutes to get into the vestige and find (and maybe rescue) the five people who were inside.

I didn't pause. I didn't hesitate. I just acted.

I sprinted forwards towards the side of the bridge, Soldier's Edge firmly in my grasp, and leaped onto the vestige.


	2. The Enemy Within

**THE ENEMY WITHIN  
**

It was all so... _alien_. The vestige was decorated with strange carvings all over the walls and ceiling, and it seemed to possess an aura of menace, but that was merely because of the unfamiliarity... that and the deep-seated fear of all things Pulse.

I knew that my time was limited; that I had maybe ten minutes at best to find the five people I had followed into the vestige, and make my escape before the structure was blown to smithereens by the PSICOM airships that surrounded it.

"Serah!"

The voice echoed in the enormous hall. It sounded very close by.

I picked up the pace, my blades in hand, and ran down the long corridors that floated in the centre of the hall.

At the end of the path was a large door in the shape of an arch. There was a symbol on it; the symbol of the Pulse l'Cie. It was glowing a fierce red colour.

"Hang on baby, your hero's on the way!" The echoing voice again sounded oddly near.

The symbol on the door seemed to shimmer at my approach, and it opened wide. I grinned at my luck, and didn't slow down as I charged through it.

But another sound stopped me in my tracks.

It was the sound of battle. Above me, on yet another platform, the pink-haired woman and her companion were locked in a vicious struggle against three horrible monsters. My eyes grew wide as I recognised the creatures as Cie'th.

Words couldn't describe them. The process of transformation flashed briefly through my mind. A fal'Cie brands a human, and they become l'Cie. If that l'Cie doesn't complete their mission – their focus – before their brand 'opens', then they become Cie'th, mindless beings tied to a fate worse than death.

I watched, unmoving, as the two humans overwhelmed the Cie'th. I paid particular attention to the woman. There was something about her that just captured me. I didn't understand why she affected me so, but my eyes never strayed from her.

She was obviously a soldier; her Guardian Corps rank plate was proof of that. But if she was a soldier, how did she end up in the Hanging Edge? Soldiers and Sanctum officials were exempt from the Purge, which was under PSICOM supervision. So what was she, a Guardian Corps soldier, doing here?

At that precise moment, she looked down, and her eyes met mine.

My breath caught as we stared at each other, confusion and frustration plain on her face.

Then she pointed her gunblade in my direction, and fired.

I stumbled backwards, surprised by her sudden hostility, but the bullets flew past my head... and shot into the grey flesh of the Cie'th behind me. I had been so enraptured by this beautiful, mysterious woman, that I hadn't heard the monster creeping towards me. I spun wildly in time to see the Cie'th dissolve into a black and purple haze, which vanished into the cold air.

I turned back, and the woman was still staring at me, her eyes wide, as if she was unsure as to exactly why she had just saved my life. I smiled tentatively at her to display my gratitude, a smile which she did not return. Her confused expression only deepened.

Her afro-haired companion spoke, low enough that I couldn't hear, and she nodded once, finally turning away from me. Another swift look in my direction, and then she was gone, jogging down the path that she and her partner occupied.

I shook my head ferociously, trying to calm the thoughts that swirled furiously around my brain. Why hadn't I told them of the imminent danger that threatened them? No, instead, I had just stared stupidly at her. I cursed my own muddled emotions as I continued down my own path. From the looks of it, the pathway led to the same point as the pink-haired woman.

Just as I reached the end of the path, a slow, guttural moan came from behind me. I turned, my blades ready to strike.

The Cie'th was advancing on me slowly, taking awkward, lopsided steps. The monster was an ugly grey colour and its long arms were extended towards me, its clawed fingers outstretched.

I ducked underneath its arms as it swiped at my head, swinging my blades in a wide, upward arc. The Cie'th roared in agony as it's severed limbs fell to the ground, only to fade away.

I continued the movement, repositioning my blades at the end of the swing so that they were pointing straight at the chest of the mindless Cie'th. Another agonised growl escaped it as it was impaled upon my blades, then it disappeared into that same purplish haze.

I straightened, my blades reverting back to their rifle form, which I then slung across my back. I glanced worriedly at the ceiling, not really seeing anything, but pondering the PSICOM ships outside. I couldn't have much time left.

So I hurried onwards, jumping onto the square platform that was situated at the end of the path. The platform seemed to be an elevator of sorts, and it ascended upwards through an open hole in the ceiling to the next floor up.

I gasped at the sight that awaited me.

The pink-haired woman and her companion stood back to back. They were surrounded by a horde of Cie'th, all advancing slowly. I counted them quickly, there were sixteen. Thirteen of them were the same, shambling Cie'th that I had faced earlier, but the other three were of a different kind. Two had wings, and were circling the two humans, swooping in for an attack, but pulling away at the last second as the woman slashed at them with her gunblade. The last was humanoid, but much bigger and bulkier than its thin counterparts.

They had no chance against such overwhelming odds. Sure, they'd probably take a few down, but it wouldn't be long before they were overcome.

The platform was still rising, taking me higher. It rose past the wide path were the two humans stood.

"Hey!" I called to them. My legs tensed as I prepared to jump.

The woman's head swivelled around, but I was already in the air, launching myself at the group below. I had calculated my jump perfectly, landing on one of the Cie'th, pinning it to the ground with my legs, and my blade in its chest. I stood as the Cie'th disappeared.

A second passed.

I caught the eye of the woman and I grinned. She didn't smile, just like back on the platform, but her eyes seemed less cold than they had before.

Then the three of us acted in unison.

I let instinct take over, and my blades sang as they felled monsters left and right. It almost felt like a dance, the way that the woman and I moved together, (her companion stayed in the centre, firing bullets at the attackers and dodging when necessary) never touching, but reacting to each other in a way that felt completely natural.

The reaction to her proximity was both expected and surprising. Her position next to me was purely practical, enabling her to act _with_ me in reaction to the multitude of enemies that surrounded us. It was a natural action, embedded deep in the soldier psyche. It was a move that made sense in the midst of battle.

What was surprising was the way my body reacted to _her_. Each time her petite frame passed next to mine, my breath caught, and I was hard-pressed not to turn from whatever Cie'th I was warring with so that I could stare at her agile form. Each of her movements brought us closer together, and my heart raced sporadically every time I caught the scent of her pink hair as it swished past my face. I revelled in her presence, and with each passing moment, I felt a strange pull towards this magnificent woman, this Valkyrie.

The fight was over much too quickly.

There was one moment when a Cie'th passed my guard. I dodged out of the way, but not before its claws scraped along my shoulder, ripping through my uniform and leaving a trio of bloody gashes. Before I could get my revenge for the wound, the woman had leapt forward and dispatched the Cie'th.

I stowed my rifle and turned to the others.

They were both staring at me with puzzled expressions. The male recovered first.

"Thanks, I thought we were goners that time," he said.

The woman nodded, then her eyes strayed to my wounded shoulder.

"You're hurt." She tried to mask the concern in her voice, but I noticed the change in her tone. Her expression was still distant, impassive, just like it had been before.

I shrugged, not taking my eyes from her face. I was able to really look at her now. Her eyes were a liquid blue, and her skin was pale. I scrutinised her face, stunned by how beautiful she was.

"It's just a scratch," I lied, though the wound was still bleeding profusely.

I could have sworn that her lips twitched at my words, but her expression never changed.

She held something out to me, it was a small vial filled with a dark blue liquid.

I took the potion from her and applied it to the wound. The pain ceased almost immediately, and the cuts closed, turning into three pink scars on my shoulder.

I frowned at the sleeve of my uniform. It was hanging loosely, attached to the rest of the uniform by only a few threads. I yanked the sleeve loose, and it came apart easily, leaving my left arm bare from the shoulder.

Then I remembered how much danger we were in.

"We need to get out of here," I said, the words spilling out in a rush. "PSICOM's about to blow this place out of the sky."

The man gasped, but the woman was shaking her head.

"I can't leave," She said gravely.

I rounded on her. "Why not?"

"Because..." She hesitated, "because my sister is here."

I frowned. If her sister was indeed inside the vestige, then the chances that she was alive were very slim.

I was glad I hadn't said that out loud, because the male echoed my thoughts and she turned to him, her face livid.

"She _is _alive!" She said angrily, but then her lips pulled down at the corners and she frowned. "She has to be." She muttered.

I felt a sharp pain that had nothing to do with the recently closed cuts on my shoulder.

"If she's here, though..." I paused, trying to order my thoughts. Something had just occurred to me. "Why_ is _she here?" I asked slowly.

The woman hesitated, her face drawn.

"She's a l'Cie," she said helplessly.

I did a double-take.

She was here to rescue her sister, no, a l'Cie. A Pulse l'Cie, an enemy of Cocoon.

Beside me, the afro-haired male stared at her with wide eyes. His expression must mirror mine. Then he spoke.

"What's her focus?"

Her eyes snapped to him.

"When the fal'Cie cursed her, he gave her a focus, right? What was it?"

She didn't respond.

"It wasn't 'blow up Cocoon' was it?"

I looked from one to the other, indecision plain on my face. Her sister was a Pulse l'Cie, it made sense that her focus would be detrimental to Cocoon's safety, but the pain that shadowed the woman's face as she pondered her sister's fate was so utterly unbearable that I couldn't _not_ do something to save her sibling, l'Cie or not.

"Alright," I said, interrupting the older man as he opened his mouth to speak. "We'll find your sister."

She turned to me and nodded, her face still a bitter mask, but her eyes were filled with silent gratitude at my words.

"Okay," I said. "Let's go."

I could swear that the woman gave me a small, grateful smile, but when I turned back, her lips were still the hard line they had been a moment ago.

We sped down the path, pausing only to decimate any more Cie'th that dared to stand in our way. They fell victim to the woman's fury, as if each Cie'th were a reminder of what awaited her sister if she didn't find her in time.

The corridor was decorated with several arches that were spaced out at regular intervals along the pathway, at the end of which was a large platform.

As we stepped onto the platform, it began to move forwards and slightly upwards, the movement causing the three of us to stagger.

The elevator came to a rumbling stop at the base of a wide set of stairs, and we rushed to the top.

We stopped in unison, all of us staring at the figure that lay in the centre of an enlarged, rectangular portion of the path.

"Serah!" The woman ran to her sister's side, gasping and crouching over her. I followed, standing behind her, peering at the unconscious woman who was the spitting image of her sister.

I watched, my heart pounding in my chest as she analysed her sibling. Then she picked her up, bridal-style, and turned to me and our companion, who was still standing at the top of the staircase.

"Time to go," she told us. "We have to leave before the army... what?"

She was staring at the older man's face, and he shuffled his feet before answering.

"That's a Pulse brand," he said, indicating the mark on Serah's left arm. I looked at it. It was a series of intertwined, black arrows, all criss-crossing beneath a red circle at the centre of the brand. It looked like an eye.

"That girl's a l'Cie."

"I already told you that."

The woman was eyeing him suspiciously.

"Pulse l'Cie are the enemies of Cocoon." His hands reached towards his pistols, lingering on the handle.

She gasped and turned her body as if to shield her sister. "So they should die?" She asked incredulously.

"Listen," the man said, his face softer now. "If she fails her focus, you know how that'll end."

She stepped backwards. "And killing her is a mercy?"

At that moment, Serah's eyes opened, and she lifted one hand to touch her sister's cheek.

"You came," she said hoarsely.

The woman exhaled, surprised, and placed her sister gently on the ground.

"Serah!"

The deep voice rang out behind us.

Snow, accompanied by the two children I had seen enter the vestige earlier, were descending to our floor on an elevator.

My eyes tightened as I saw his expression.

He leapt over to us, not waiting for the platform to reach it's destination.

Serah smiled as he ran over to her, grasping her small hand in his.

"Serah," he said again, relief in his voice.

"Is that... my hero?" She asked as she focused on him.

I felt that I should turn away from such a private moment, but my body wouldn't seem to obey. I stayed rooted to the spot, a foot away from the woman. I was silent, afraid to disturb the reunion that was displayed before me; I was a silent observer.

Snow bowed his head, pulling her hand to rest against his black bandanna.

The woman was glaring at him.

I looked up to see the two children approached us. One was a boy with silver hair, his eyes darting this way and that. The other was a girl with orange pigtails, and I heard the sharp intake of breath as she saw the girl lying on the floor. Her hands cupped around her mouth.

"Lets get you out of here," Snow said, still holding Serah's hand.

The sudden harshness of the woman's voice surprised me.

"Hands off," she spat at the resistance leader. "I'm taking her home."

I blinked. They obviously knew each other.

"Sis-" Snow began.

"I'm not your sister!" The woman said. "You couldn't protect her! It's your fault she-"

"You can save us..."

Serah's words interrupted her sister's sentence. We all looked down at her.

"Serah?" The woman's words rang with concern.

"You can save us..." Serah repeated.

The woman's eyes grew wide.

"Protect us all..." Serah continued. "Save... Cocoon."

"Save Cocoon?" The woman's question mirrored my own. "Serah, that was your focus?" Serah's eyes began to droop.

Opposite the woman, Snow was staring into Serah's eyes.

"Anything! I'll do anything!" He was telling her. "Leave it to me, you'll see. I'll protect Cocoon, I'll save everyone!" He promised her.

The woman looked up at him before turning back to Serah.

"Somehow, I'll make things right."

Snow grinned at her reassuringly. "You just relax."

Serah smiled up at her hero before replying.

"Thank you," she said weakly, her eyes closing.

Then blue light flashed from within her, and she rose upward, levitating.

"Serah!" the woman said desperately as her sister rose higher into the air.

They stood with her as she rose higher. All of us present gasped as one. Serah's hand slipped from Snow's grasp.

There was an odd grating sound, and Serah was suddenly enveloped in crystal. Her arms folded across her chest as the crystal covered her; surrounded her.

Something floated down to land in Snow's still open hand.

It was a crystallised tear.

I realised then how close I was. I was standing right next to the woman, subconsciously creeping forward. The woman either hadn't noticed me yet, focused as she was on her sister, or she was unperturbed by my proximity.

Snow exhaled, stepping backwards and craning his neck.

"Serah!" he yelled, as if she could somehow hear his voice.

He jumped up, his arm outstretched, trying to reach her.

"Serah!" he yelled again.

Beside me, the woman's face was in despair. Her hand slowly lowered to her side from its raised position.

The high-pitched voice of the orange-haired girl broke into my mind, and I tore my face away from the woman's grieving expression to listen to her.

"Why is she turning to crystal?" she asked. I detected the strange accent. I had never heard an accent like that before.

It was the silver-haired boy who answered.

"L'Cie who fulfil their focus..." He began, his voice surprisingly mature for someone so young. "Transform into crystal, and gain eternal life."

We stared in wonder at the stone floating above us.

"Just like the stories say," the older man muttered.

I nodded, placing my hand on the woman's shoulder in an attempt at comfort. She didn't shrug away from my touch.

"Serah..." Snow whispered, his voice full of love and adoration. "Sweet dreams."

The woman finally stirred at his words.

"Sweet dreams?" she said, moving away from me and towards the big man. "She's not sleeping!" she said forcefully, her voice breaking. She grabbed a handful of his coat. "Serah's... She's..."

She didn't finish; she just shoved Snow away and looked at her feet.

But Snow wasn't deterred.

"She's alive," he said.

"No-" The woman looked up at him.

"The legend! Remember the legend!" He was suddenly yelling. "L'Cie who fulfil their focus turn to crystal and gain _eternal life_!" He turned to Serah as he spoke. "It's the same with Serah!" He spoke to the whole group now. "Eternal life, she's not dead!" He looked at each of us in turn, looking at the woman last. "Serah's my bride-to-be," He said, speaking only to the woman.

That was the connection then. Snow was engaged to Serah. Obviously, the woman wasn't happy with her sister's choice.

"I promised to be hers forever," Snow continued. "I don't care how many years I have to wait-" 

He never finished.

In one swift motion, the woman cocked her arm back, and punched Snow straight in the jaw. There was a sickening crack as the blow connected. He fell to the floor.

"It's over!" she said, her voice ringing with finality. "Open your eyes and face reality!"

Snow simply lay there gasping, not in pain, but at the cruel words she spoke.

I stared at the woman. I could tell she wasn't the happiest girl in the world, but for her to be _this_ cold-hearted? And yet, I couldn't help but sympathise for her, even agree with her. Her sister had turned to crystal, I could imagine the pain she was in. I probably would have acted the same way. My father's face flashed through my mind. Hadn't _I_ lashed out at the people around me when he died?

Suddenly, there was a crashing sound, and the entire vestige trembled around us. I lurched to the side as the floor rumbled beneath me, but managed to stay upright. The boy sank to the ground and put his head between his knees as the ground shook.

"What now?" The orange-haired girl said in her high-pitched voice.

"The army!" I said it at the same time as the older man.

PSICOM had finally launched its attack, and we were still inside.

I switched to the PSICOM frequency, holding up my hand. Everyone fell silent, staring at me with wide eyes as I listened.

"-Leave no trace. The Pulse vestige never existed." That was it.

"We need to get out of here _now_!" I told the group around me.

More tremors rocked the vestige. Snow and the woman fell to their knees, their hands over their heads to cover Serah as pieces of the ceiling began to fall around us.

"What's happening?" The orange-haired girl yelled above the noise.

"It must be a Sanctum strike," the older man answered her.

I nodded at him, confirming his theory.

"Bring down the vestige and the fal'Cie right with it," he said.

The young girl ran up to him and clutched at his hands.

"Aren't they taking it back to Pulse?" She asked desperately. "That's what the Purge was, right?"

"All they care about is getting everything from Pulse _off_ Cocoon. Dead or alive, it's all the same."

Her eyes widened in horror.

The boy was still on his knees beside the young girl, grabbing her hand.

"We can't stay here," he pleaded. "They'll kill us!"

She didn't respond.

I looked around the vestige, trying to find some way of escape. The most practical path would be back the way we came, but I turned to the door at the end of the staircase above us.

Suddenly, the tremors ceased.

Everyone got to their feet. The door that I was staring at suddenly glowed a bright red, the symbol illuminating. I recognised the symbol on the door as the Pulse l'Cie brand.

The door opened.

I immediately felt the presence from beyond the door. It was the Pulse fal'Cie.

My hands shook as the wave of hatred swept over me. Here was the thing that had caused this whole mess. _It_ was why Serah was a crystal. _It_ was why the Purge started. _It_ was the reason for the deaths of so many innocents.

_It _was the reason I was here.

I squared my shoulders, my hand tightening around the hilt of my blades. I would see the destruction of the thing that had caused so much pain.

"I'll be right back, hold on," I heard Snow whisper quietly to his crystallised fiancè.

He began to walk towards the door. I followed close behind him.

"Hey!" The older man was looking at us with a puzzled expression. "Where you going?"

"Date with the fal'Cie," Snow said, determination emanating from his very being. "We got some things to talk about."

"What!" You're gonna ask _it_ to help _her_?" the older man asked incredulously.

I paused. For some reason I couldn't place, this fact _mattered_ to me. I thought about why that was. It went beyond my moral code. It wasn't just about the possibility that Serah could be saved, there was more to it than that.

I shook my head from side to side, trying to make sense of my jumbled thoughts.

Then I looked at _her_, and it became perfectly clear to me why saving Serah was so important.

No! I must be confused. In the moment that I looked at the beautiful, pink-haired woman, something happened. As soon as her eyes met mine, an electric charge seemed to surge through me, connecting us.

I frowned. I must be delusional. But still...

"-That thing wants to chew us up, and spit us out!" the older man was saying to us.

"Well what do you _want_ me to do!" Beside me, Snow shouted the question.

The man's mouth opened, then closed, but I only had eyes for the woman as she looked past me towards the door, and began to walk towards it.

"Lightning?" Snow muttered her name.

Lightning. Her name was Lightning. What kind of a name was 'Lightning'? I shrugged. It suited her, I thought to myself.

Snow followed after her.

I spun my blade in my hand, then I, too, followed Lightning.

"Here we go again." The older man sighed exasperatedly as he followed after us.

There was only darkness beyond the door. I paced my steps so that I was walking next to Lightning. I had to stop myself from asking her if she too could feel the electricity that was flowing through me, connecting us, but the looming shape that lay ahead of us shoved all those thoughts away.

"So this is... the fal'Cie." The silver-haired boy spoke from behind me.

The corridor was only slightly illuminated, but I could see the fal'Cie now, in a wide room at the end of the path. It looked like a giant machine, with gears and cranks everywhere, but with a defined form. Its base was round, and above that was a pillar with large pipes running around it.

Beside me, Snow spoke.

"Serah's a crystal now," he said, pointing at the fal'Cie. "You gave her a focus, and she did it. You got what you want, now let her go!"

Silence was his only response, menacing and absolute.

Snow fell to all fours. "Please," he begged. "Turn her back." He kneeled before the fal'Cie, one hand on his chest. "I'll be your l'Cie instead!" His voice broke at the end.

You had to admire his determination.

Lightning sighed beside me. "Fine," she said. "You go on begging." She drew her gunblade and strode forward. "Like this thing gives a damn what we want!" Her words became a yell at the end, and she hacked at the metallic exterior of the fal'Cie.

We watched in silence as her attacks had no effect on the being that towered over us. Finally, she staggered backwards.

"Lightning!" Snow yelled as she again took up a battle stance.

I instinctively moved towards her, my feet moving forward of their own accord.

"It's this things fault the Purge started," she said quietly. And it's people who are dying." She paused to look at us with a fierce expression. "Serah told us to save Cocoon, that means this thing needs to die!"

At that precise moment, the room was bathed in a glowing yellow light. Snow sprang to his feet. On either side of the fal'Cie rose two metal pillars. We stepped backwards as the base opened wide, exposing the true fal'Cie within. It was a misshapen being with no discernible features, but at the front was a purple stone. Small pipes and tubes stuck out the top, and there was a jagged claw contraption that stuck out from the side, almost like an arm.

Behind me, the silver-haired boy turned, and fled back down the corridor. The purple stone flashed and his footsteps ceased. I turned to see a transparent red wall blocking the way out. The l'Cie brand flashed on the wall.

I sank into a half-crouch, my blades ready.

"Come on, now," the older man warned. "You really think you can kill a fal'Cie?"

Lightning raised her gunblade.

"I'm doing this for Serah!" she told him.

Snow seemed to draw courage from her words. He put up his fists in preparation for the fight.

The older man sighed before muttering something under his breath. He spoke so low that I couldn't hear what he said.

There was a chirp from behind me, and I turned my head to see a tiny chocobo chick poke its head out of the older man's afro.

"I'm in," he announced.

He walked beside me. "Long as you don't mind an amateur."

I grinned at him.

"I got these things," he said, holding his guns in the air. "Might as well use them."

"Alright," I said, tensed for the battle.

I let instinct take control as I leapt forward, slashing wildly at the purple crystal. I could see after the first few hits that my attacks were having no effect on the fal'Cie.

I raised my blades for another swing when the pillar on the left of the fal'Cie smashed into me, knocking me to the ground.

I struggled to my feet, breathless, just in time to see Lightning flip over the other pillar as it flew towards her. Her gunblade was a blur as she swiped at it in mid-air, and the pillar crashed to the ground, sizzling.

The purple crystal pulsed.

That was it, the key to defeating the fal'Cie.

"Take out its arms!" I shouted to my companions.

They followed my lead as I converged on the remaining pillar and hacked into its metallic surface. The metal split easily, and sparks flew as I exposed more of the wiring beneath.

I whirled as the crystal pulsed again, and it's purple glow seemed to fade as its limbs were severed.

They needed no command this time. The four of us concentrated our attacks on the crystal, and it cracked under our blows, but it wasn't finished.

The severed pillar suddenly reappeared in a flash of light. It was unharmed.

The fal'Cie could regenerate its limbs.

We split into pairs, Lightning and I taking the left arm, and Snow and the other one battling the other.

It wasn't long before the fal'Cie was crippled again, and we attacked the crystal once more.

The crack now ran along the length of the crystal, threatening to split the fal'Cie down the middle.

I stabbed both my blades in the centre of the crystal, all the way to the hilt.

There was a blinding flash, and I was thrown backwards.

I heard the thuds as the others hit the ground beside me.

Then I was floating.

Darkness consumed me, I could see nothing but the empty blackness that pressed in on me.

"Where are we?" A voice sounded from the gloom; the orange-haired girl.

I knew that I wasn't alone in the vast darkness, I could feel the presence of my companions.

My bare arm brushed against someone's skin, and I flinched at the contact. I knew instantly that the person who floated beside me was Lightning, because as soon as our skin touched, that same electricity sparked between us, flowing from one to the other in an endless cycle. I heard her gasp, and I knew that she could feel it too.

Suddenly, long tendrils wrapped around my arms and feet, and around my waist. I couldn't move, I could only struggle futilely against my restraints.

The fal'Cie! It had to be. What else had the power to consume us like we were?

My left shoulder suddenly burst into flames, or at least it felt like it. There was a searing pain that scorched beneath the three recent scars. I flung my arm out in an attempt to shake it off, but the tendrils held fast, restricting my movement.

I clenched my jaw against the intense agony, and instead focused solely on the electric current that still coursed through me. It was like a lifeline, and I held onto it as the seconds passed, then, so abruptly it was bewildering, the pain ceased, and the fire was gone.

Then I was falling.

It was oddly peaceful, this long descent through the dark. At least, until the mind-numbing vision flashed across my eyes.

It only lasted a second, but what I saw was enough to make me cringe.

_Ragnarok_.

Soft fingers scrabbled at my arm, closing around my wrist. The static tingling sensation told me who it was.

I twisted my arm slightly, and grasped her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

I felt some of the tension in her forearm relax at my gesture, but I had no intention of moving my hand away.

Neither did she.

I closed my eyes and let the darkness have me.


	3. Chained by Fate

**CHAINED BY FATE**

* * *

Consciousness flooded through my system and my eyes jerked open. I bolted upright, unaware and uncaring of my surroundings, consumed as I was by the vision I had experienced and the searing pain in my shoulder.

"Serah!"

A sudden shout, filled with longing, forced me back to the present.

Snow was sitting upright, his hand outstretched, surprise etched on his face. His eyes met mine for a moment, then he turned his head and looked around himself.

I repeated his motion and was greeted with an overwhelming sight. Waves of crystals cascaded around me, glittering. They formed a circular clearing of sorts, and it was in this clearing that I found myself.

The others that surrounded me began to wake with small groans. Beside me, Lightning got to her feet slowly. I felt a sudden desire to help with this simple task, but she needed no aid, and rose steadily.

"Is this... for real?"

Snow was on his feet and gazing around at the cacophony of color that was all around us.

Atop the horizon of waves, the vestige stood lopsided in the distance.

Five of us were walking around, trying to make sense of our new location. Only the boy was still seated, his head buried in the crook of his elbow. It briefly occurred to me that he might be crying.

"This must be... Lake Bresha?"

The afro-haired man spoke to the air, but there was a feeling of familiarity about the shapes of the crystal. It was obvious that they were crystallized waves of water, all frozen in time.

"I guess we fell from up there," he said, peering skyward, "and the lake turned to crystal?"

I turned to him and opened my mouth to speak, but his next words held a sense of urgency.

"Help me out here! I mean, did the fal'Cie do this?" He turned to Lighting and I, his arms outstretched. "How in the world did we end up here?"

She responded quickly and derisively. "How should I know?"

He posed very good questions, and I relayed my theory to him.

"I suppose we fell, like you said," I answered lamely. "But the lake... I don't know."

The orange-haired girl fell to her knees and clasped her hands together.

"We're alive. How?"

"Serah!"

Snow, who was standing on the edge of the clearing, had turned to face us, his face alight with hope and grief.

"Now one survives a fall from that high, not without a miracle. Serah saved us!"

"Serah?"

Lightning's eyes flashed with anger.

"Listen. It's all your fault she got-"

But she never finished her sentence.

I took a step back from her in surprise and she turned.

There were gasps from the others as they saw the huge Cie'th bear down on Lightning.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" The afro-haired man ran towards Snow, stumbling on his way.

I moved forward, but it was Snow who reached the Cie'th first.

"Watch out!"

He moved fast, much faster than I would have imagined him able to, and shoved me out of the way.

The Cie'th brought its giant arm down upon the large man, but Snow crossed his arms above his head, effectively blocking the blow.

I watched as the Cie'th reared for another attack, but Snow reacted first.

He brought his left arm back for a mighty swing, and there, branded onto his forearm, was the mark of a Pulse l'Cie.

I gasped as I saw the insignia, which glowed bright blue. The sound that one associated with magical energy pierced the air, and Snow's fist crackled with blue light. He brought his arm forward in an arc, and the impact was shattering. The Cie'th was launched into the air, and came crashing down.

But none of us had eyes for the fallen Cie'th. The light that radiated from Snow's brand began to fade, and he clutched his wrist, his eyes wide with awe and wonder.

"What did I... just do?"

The boy was the first to recover.

He scrambled to his feet. "You used magic!"

The sound of more Cie'th echoed in the clearing, and the orange-haired girl gasped as three more entered the clearing.

"You used the power of a l'Cie!" He shouted. "The fal'Cie cursed us. We're l'Cie now!"

It suddenly dawned on me. The pain, the vision. I peered at my shoulder, hoping that I would find three pink scars, but it was there. The l'Cie symbol was branded on my shoulder, just like Snow's, and the scars ran over it, cutting three lines into the black mark.

Lightning drew her gunblade with an air of fierce determination.

"Right," was all she said.

I drew my own weapon from its holster, and the two blades gleamed once I pressed the button.

Snow and the orange-haired girl joined our ranks.

I knew that unless we worked together, we would never defeat the Cie'th.

Lightning took command, and barked orders immediately.

"You," she rounded on the orange-haired girl. "Distract that one-" she indicated the one of the left - "try to stagger it so I can get a clean hit."

Snow took the order as his cue to start launching magic attacks at the one in the middle.

I knew what my job would be, and Lightning saw no reason to direct me in this battle. Instead, she attacked the orange-haired girl's victim, and they quickly disposed of it.

I dodged a swipe from the Cie'th on the right, and focused my attacks on the one in the middle. As Snow fired a small ball of ice into its face, it stumbled, and I took the opportunity to deliver a quick lunge into the Cie'th's midsection, where it disappeared in a wisp of purple smoke.

Lightning and the orange-haired girl had moved on to the remaining Cie'th, and I turned in time to see the two bring it down with a deadly combination of attacks. The orange-haired girl waved her hand rapidly, and an orb of water splashed into the face of the Cie'th, followed up by a fireball. Lightning dashed in and swung her gunblade in a wide, diagonal arc, and the Cie'th vanished.

Snow slowly lowered his fists, and his grunts of exertion became shallow breaths.

"So we really are l'Cie."

I replaced my rifle and turned to him, praying that my expression showed no sign of the horror that I was feeling.

Lightning just sighed in annoyance, her head bobbing slightly.

The afro-haired man hung his head. "Looks like it."

Snow turned to the orange-haired girl. "You too?"

She nodded, and lifted up the side of her skirt. The l'Cie brand was visible on her thigh.

"Yep, right here."

I turned away sheepishly after seeing the mark.

Snow turned to me.

"Yeah." I pointed at my shoulder.

"L'Cie to the last," Lightning said.

It was the silver-haired boy who succumbed first. I was still in a state of hopeless denial.

"Why me?" he said as he sank to his knees, his hands kneading the ground.

Then he turned to the rest of us, his eyes filled with agony.

"I don't even know you! But you have to go and attack that thing?" he said accusingly. "Just leave me alone."

I couldn't look away, despite the blame that was partly mine.

"It's your fault-" he started quietly, "It's your fault my- you could've-"

Then he leaped to his feet and rounded on Snow, his tone harsh.

"All of this is your and Serah's fault!"

Snow wouldn't have any of it.

"Watch it!" he snarled, advancing on the boy, who fell backwards in his haste to escape Snow's sudden movement. He scrambled towards Lightning and looked up at her, but the sight of her hard face and crossed arms did nothing for him, and he crawled away with his head in his hands.

All the years of my PSICOM training had hardened my softer side. There was no room for compassion on the battlefield, but the events at the Hanging Edge had brought forth the moral dilemmas I had been repressing in my service to the Sanctum, and the sight of the boy cowering there ignited a spark of pity.

But only a spark.

Snow however, seemed to regret his outburst.

"Sorry," He said.

I watched as the orange-haired woman approached the boy and placed her hands on his trembling shoulders. He went still at the contact and looked up at her.

"Everything is gonna be all right. You'll see," She pulled him to his feet, saying "Come on," as she did so. "Off we go."

The duo lead the way out of the clearing, following a winding path through the crystal.

I followed in their wake, staying close to Snow and the afro-haired man.

"L'Cie, huh?" Snow said direly.

"Yep. We're all playing for Team Pulse now," The afro-haired man said.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," I said.

"Why me?" he said loudly.

I patted him on the back.

"That's a good question," I told him. "But if it makes you feel better, we're all l'Cie as well."

Lightning said nothing, but walked in silence ahead of the three of us.

"Trust the soldier to keep her cool through this mess," The afro-haired man said.

"I'm a soldier too, you know?" I told him in a mock offended tone.

Ahead of us, Lightning stopped in her tracks.

"Okay, if we don't know our Focus, how do we complete it?"

It was the orange-haired girl who answered.

"I think... I saw it."

Lightning turned to her. "Saw what?"

The afro-haired man took up the slack when she failed to get an answer.

"That is how a Focus comes down, people," He explained. "The fal'Cie? They don't spell it out with clear-cut instructions. All you get is a hazy glimpse."

Snow mirrored Lightning's posture and crossed his arms. They both looked at the afro-haired man skeptically. I however, thought the man was onto something.

"Well, that's what they say. You know, legends and all."

Lightning, to my amazement, addressed the boy.

"Did you see anything?"

He swallowed and shifted his weight back and forth under Lightning's gaze.

"I uh – I just... it's all kind of foggy, but... I saw this big – I mean _towering_-"

The afro-haired man interrupted, and I thought I knew why. The boy's description sounded very familiar.

"W-Wait a minute. Hold on now. Did we _all_ have the same dream?" he asked everyone.

We all responded in unison.

"Ragnarok."

"So," the afro-haired man said, "We all saw the same dream. We all heard that same voice."

"You mean that was our Focus?" asked the boy. "But, how are we supposed to know what to do from that?"

"That's the tricky part," the orange-haired girl said. "The dream's the only hint the fal'Cie gives us. Figuring out what to do with it – that's our job!"

She didn't seem to use the proper tone. Or that's what I thought. She addressed the subject like it was homework – or something.

"Okay, okay," The afro-haired man said. "We're Pulse l'Cie, right? Enemies of Cocoon!" So, does that mean that our Focus is-? Are we supposed to-?"

"Save her."

I turned to Snow, who had interrupted the afro-haired man's damning words. What he said made sense, given our position. If we _were _ Pulse l'Cie, then wasn't it our job to destroy Cocoon?

"Say what?" the afro-haired man asked.

"Our Focus is to protect Cocoon," Snow continued.

"Really? Okay, and why's that?" The orange-haired girl asked politely, as if this were a mildly interesting discussion and not our immediate future.

"Serah told us," Snow stated simply. "Let's do it. We're all in this together." He appealed to the group. "I'm gonna look for Serah. She ought to be nearby." Then he ran off.

The orange-haired girl made an exasperated gesture. "I'll come too!" She ran after him. "Wait!"

The afro-haired man scratched his head. "That boy can't stay still!" Then he followed after them.

"Really..." the boy said quietly before moving forward after him. He glanced backwards at Lightning, who still had her back turned to him, then he hurried after the rest.

I turned to Lightning.

"I guess we keep moving," I said. "After you." I gestured with my arm that she should go first.

Lightning rolled her eyes, but I knew it was more friendly than a gesture of animosity.

It didn't take us long to catch up with the others, and we all allowed Lightning to lead the way. I supposed she would feel better if she was in charge.

"There's gotta be a way through here somewhere," Snow said. "Let's keep looking. We need to find a way out of here. We can worry about everything else later."

The area was populated with pockets of Cie'th, but with our newly discovered magic abilities, we were able to defeat them with relative ease.

Lightning lead the way through the crystal maze. There seemed to be a clearly defined path through the waves, and after cutting down another group of Cie'th, Snow commented on our new found powers.

"This just might work," he said hopefully.

Nobody asked him what he was talking about, and seeing that I was closest to him (just ahead of him and slightly behind Lightning) I replied.

"Okay, I'll bite. What might work?"

"Magic may be cursed, but it makes us stronger, doesn't it?" he said to me.

"I guess," I replied thoughtfully.

"What's to stop us from putting it to good use?"

I thought for a moment, and he had a point. The abilities of a l'Cie were powerful, but there was nothing stopping us from, say, using that power against Pulse instead of Cocoon.

"We are, I suppose. We could just as easily turn around and say 'take that, Pulse fal'Cie!'" I mimed using magic.

"Then we fight it!" He turned to the group and held up his fist. "Ragnarok!"

Our party stopped to listen to his sudden outburst, and I stepped backwards to avoid any flailing limbs that might be elicited from his passionate speech.

"That's the reason we're l'Cie. To stop it – to keep Cocoon safe!"

The afro-haired man questioned him. "Yeah, why don't you give us one reason to believe that? One reason."

Snow responded without hesitation. "Serah."

The five of us exchanged confused glances.

Snow sighed exasperatedly. "She said to protect Cocoon, and she turned to crystal."

I raised my eyebrows. What did _that_ have to do with our Focus?

"That's the proof right there," he said loudly. "She completed her Focus! That means ours is to save Cocoon."

He addressed Lightning directly now.

"Serah's fal'Cie was the same as ours. Our Focus has got to be the same." He placed a hand to his chest. "We were chosen to be guardians, to defeat Ragnarok! It makes sense!"

The afro-haired man had had enough.

"The hell it does! You're grasping at straws, son! Pulse fal'Cie are Cocoon's enemies. We just got recruited by one of them," He said fiercely. "If I were a betting man... I'd put us on the other side."

Snow wasn't convinced.

"So Serah's an enemy too?" He stamped his foot. "Well I don't buy it!"

Snow turned and strode over to Lightning, who was facing away from him with her hands on her hips.

"We have the power to save Cocoon," he said, indicating the brand on his arm. "If we work together and carry out our Focus-"

Lightning responded with aggression, drawing her gunblade and pressing it against Snow's neck.

"Our Focus? The fal'Cie took Serah from us, and you want to help it? Whose side are you on?"

"Freeze!"

The sudden command captured all of our attention. Lightning turned, Snow all but forgotten with the appearance of seven PSICOM soldiers, dressed in yellow uniforms and with guns trained on us.

Footsteps behind me alerted us to the presence of two more flanking around us.

"Place your hands behind your heads!"

Five of our group grudgingly obliged. Only Lightning hesitated before letting her gunblade fall to the crystallized ground.

"You!" One of them – I assumed he was the commander of their unit – addressed me. "You're PSICOM."

"Was," I corrected.

"I know you, James Hudson."

I blinked.

"And your father. He was a great man... a great soldier. What would he think if he were alive now? What would he think of his son, the traitor?"

It took a great amount of self-restraint not to rush the commander.

"You defied your orders, soldier," the commander said. "You swore an oath to serve the Sanctum."

"The Sanctum's orders were to kill innocent people!" I said loudly, my voice shaking.

"You shirked your duty-"

"Duty!"

"The Hanging Edge was a necessary loss. The Pulse Vestige had to be destroyed. Their deaths were not in vain."

"They didn't need to die," I growled.

"Didn't they? Any number of them could have been corrupted by the Pulse fal'Cie."

I didn't respond. The memories of my service surfaced to my mind, one in particular stood out.

_Yaag Rosch stood behind the altar, his piercing eyes swept over us._

_I stood in the midst of several other recruits, all standing at attention and hanging onto Lieutenant Colonel Rosch's every word._

"_Today, you will join the ranks of the most elite unit the military has to offer: The Eden Force. You have each been handpicked based on your proficiency record at the academy, and I expect all of you to provide a level of service above that of regular PSICOM soldiers."_

_I found myself enraptured by his voice, his genuine respect for the military, and all it represented to Cocoon. In the beginning, I had only joined PSICOM because my father deemed it the only career worth following, but as I stood there and soaked in Rosch's words, pride began to take me as I finally embraced the soldier I had become._

"_Repeat after me," Rosch commanded. "I will serve the Sanctum..."_

_A chorus of voices repeated, "I will serve the Sanctum..."_

"_...to the best of my ability, and I will not flinch in my duty to protect Cocoon, from threats both foreign, and, if we are needed, domestic."_

_I repeated the PSICOM oath, my right hand placed over my heart. From that moment on, I placed duty as the highest priority, all else came second, else Cocoon would fall..._

My resolve began to crash down as two halves of my being fought within me. I tried to justify my decisions in the Hanging Edge, but I had been a soldier for most of my life, first raised by my father to believe that the military was all that was standing between Cocoon's safety and ultimate destruction; and then during my years serving the Sanctum, where the needs of the many were greater than the needs of the few, and it was my duty to ensure that it was the many that survived, and that sacrifice was necessary.

But it seemed that the commander was done torturing me.

"You," He said, speaking now to Lightning. "You fall off the Purge train?" He scratched his head, or rather, he rubbed his gun on the top of his helmet.

Lightning just placed her hands behind her head and closed her eyes.

"Maybe," she said calmly.

"Are you talking back to me?" asked the commander, walking towards Lightning and pointing his gun inches from her head.

She smiled and looked at him.

"Nice gun."

Then she moved.

Fast.

Lightning knocked the gun out of the commander's hands and delivered a swift elbow to his helmet. Then she circled around him and pushed upwards with her palms, launching him into the air and lifting her leg in a vicious kick that floored the unfortunate PSICOM commander.

All this took three seconds, and then the rest of the unit reacted, stepping forwards and barking orders like "stop her," and "freeze!"

Lightning stepped on the end of her gunblade, causing it to flip in the air above her. While the rest of us watched, she jumped upwards and grasped the hilt, landing gracefully and already swinging her weapon, taking out another soldier.

By that time, we had engaged the other PSICOM soldiers, and I focused on doing my job. I fired at one of them, blood spattering over the crystal surroundings as he fell backwards. A fireball flew past my head and collided with yet another soldier, and I dashed in, my blades at the ready, and lunged.

Near me, Lightning slashed wildly, while Snow forced two back with a series of magic attacks. A bullet pierced my chest, and I whirled, Soldier's Edge once again in its rifle form. Before I could attack, the soldier stumbled, suddenly overcome by pain. At that same moment, I felt a wave of energy wash over me, and I dashed towards the shoulder, completely aware that my movements had become a blur as the magic increased my speed. Within a second, I had felled two soldiers. More magic swam through my body and I felt a fleeting spasm of pain as the bullet-hole in my chest closed. I turned to see the silver-haired boy grin at me, his arms falling back to his sides.

As one, we converged on the remaining soldier, who staggered backwards. Four magic attacks collided with his body and he keeled over backwards, slumping heavily against the crystal wall.

"I thought they'd be tougher than that," said the afro-haired man. He crouched over the corpse. "These guys are PSICOM, yeah? Supposed to be cream-of-the-crop."

"Hey!" I said.

He looked at me sheepishly and apologized, but I waved him off; these guys were definitely green.

"Yeah, but PSICOM's an anti-Pulse task force. Haven't fought a war in centuries," Snow said. "Bunch of rookie troops swinging around overpriced toys."

"Hello? I'm PSICOM!" I said, very annoyed at the blatant accusations of my former order.

"You're an exception." Snow said.

"So, from what you're telling me, it sounds like a regular old soldier has got more training than special forces," the afro-haired man continued.

I rolled my eyes. "_I'm_ special forces!"

"Exception," Snow said again. "But nothing for us l'Cie to be afraid of."

"Cut the crap," Lightning snapped. "Their grunts might be green, but PSICOM's elites are cold-blooded beasts-"

"_Beasts_?" I said.

"Exception," The afro-haired man said, smiling.

"-they hit the field and it's game over," Lightning finished.

"Thank you," I said to her.

Snow opened his mouth, but the orange-haired girl spoke first.

"Oh-oh. Then let's run away. Ciao!"

Then she took off, bouncing onward.

"Hey, wait!" The afro-haired man called after her.

The chocobo chick flew from its nest in his hair and landed in his palm. He sighed and began to walk after her, saying, "what's a man to do?"

Snow took a look at Lightning's passive expression, sighed, and ran after them. I quickly followed.

"Weird isn't it?" Snow said. "Of all the messed up ways to meet... Might as well make introductions. I'm Snow – Snow Villiers."

He looked at the boy.

"Short stuff?"

"Hope. Hope Estheim," He said quietly.

"What about her?" the orange-haired girl said, indicating Lightning.

"Bodhum Security Regiment," Snow said when Lightning failed to answer. "She goes by 'Lightning. Last name's Farron. First? Anybody's guess."

"Vanille," The orange-haired girl said.

"Sazh Katzroy. Good to meet you," The afro-haired man introduced himself.

"James Hudson," I said finally.

Snow nodded.

Vanille hurried ahead, and Hope was quick to follow, letting the four adults trail behind.

"It's not right," Sazh said. "Why'd kids have to get dragged into this?"

Snow pointed at himself. "I'll keep the kids out of trouble," He said nonchalantly.

Sazh laughed and clapped him on the back.

"Trouble with that is, you're one of them."

I let out a badly stifled snort of laughter.

"Hey!"

"It's okay, Snow," I told him reassuringly.

"Trying to take on the Pulse fal'Cie, that was our first mistake," Sazh said. "Should have left it to the Sanctum."

"Hey! Come on!"

Vanille was waving at us, beckoning us towards her, then she grabbed Hope's hand and waved it for him.

I grinned in spite of myself.

"Why not?" Sazh continued. "I mean, we've counted on the Sanctum's fal'Cie for food, water, everything we've needed since the time we were born."

"But you still helped us do it," Snow said, his arms folded. "Why's that? Gotta be something."

"There might've been," Sazh said vaguely. "Not so sure anymore." He headed towards Vanille and Hope.

"Wha-?" Snow looked at me, and I shrugged, just as nonplussed as he was. He sighed and followed Sazh, shaking his head; Lightning following silently in his wake while I walked beside her.

Not far ahead, we encountered a group of mechanical felines. Such enemies were standard for the Sanctum, and posed no real threat to us. The Sanctum had been creating bioweapons from living creatures combined with technology. The combination gave the military full control over such creatures, and they were a sight to behold when utilized in force. These mechanical Pantherons were nothing compared to some of the larger bioweapons, like Behemoths. As it was, we were able to defeat the group of Pantherons easily.

"I guess they're hunting down Purge survivors now," Snow guessed.

We continued on for a while, taking out groups of PSICOM here and there. The Cie'th had all but disappeared.

"Is that AMP technology?" I said to Snow after another triumph. I had noticed the strange emblems emblazoned on the back of his coat during the battle.

Snow nodded. "That's right. Increases the strength of the wearer. It's the reason I don't need an actual weapon like you or Light."

"I noticed," I said lightly. "All beware the fist of Snow."

He laughed brightly.

"Still," I continued, drawing my blades and twirling them in figure eights. "I'd rather these."

"Why?" Snow asked. "What if they break?"

"They won't."

"They might." He flexed his arms. "These won't break on me. They're reliable."

"Well, having the range helps," I said, determined to trump the big man and stretching out my arm so that the blade pointed outward, illustrating my point. "And I get to shoot stuff."

I retracted the blades back into their rifle form and holstered it.

"I know how to use a gun," Snow said.

"From NORA?" I asked, grinning.

Snow frowned. "How do you know about that?"

"PSICOM has files on your group," I stated simply.

His brow furrowed.

"And I don't think slingshots count," I said.

"Hey, we used more than just slingshots."

I raised my eyebrows. "Did you beat the poor little monsters to death?" I asked mockingly.

"Would it make you sad if I said yes?"

"A little."

"Then yes."

"Oh, the horror," I drawled sarcastically.

Snow laughed.

We walked in silence for a minute before I asked, "Do you think Serah's down here?"

"Yes," He said, and there was not a shred of doubt in his tone.

We finally came across a more open area, and stepped onto the carriage of one of the Purge trains buried deeply in the crystal.

"The train fell too. I wonder what else is down here," Vanille said in her high-pitched voice.

"Hopefully some food, I haven't eaten in _ages_," I said grumpily, massaging my stomach.

There were two carriages still linked, and one formed a ramp leading onto a ridge.

Lightning lead the way down, and gasped.

I needed no explanation. On the tip of the ridge was a cluster of crystals, and in the center, was Serah.

"Serah," Lightning said quietly, relief saturating her voice.

She started towards her sister, but Snow pushed her aside roughly and ran ahead, crying out his beloved's name.

He crouched in front of the crystal, so his face was level with Serah's and the rest of us approached slowly.

Snow was caressing the side of Serah's face lovingly, and grasped her cold, frozen hand.

"I'll get you out of there!"

He looked around and snatched up a long, sharp metal pole, obviously from the train, and began to claw his way through the crystal at the base of Serah's frozen shell.

Vanille rushed over to him with a sharp pick of her own and began to dig furiously.

"I'll help you!" she said brightly.

Sazh also joined the effort and Snow gave a quick "thanks" before returning to his task.

Unable to just stand there, I broke off one of the sharper pieces of crystal and began to hack away with them.

Lightning muttered something behind me that sounded like "goodbye" and I turned to see her walking away, her back to us.

"Lightning?" Snow cried. "You're just gonna leave her?"

"PSICOM will be here soon," She said, not turning around. "If they find us, we're all dead. You think Serah would want that? You think you know how she feels?"

Snow remained where was.

"If I leave her, I'll never know," He said. "We'll be fine. I can handle anything they throw at us. No one will die. I'll protect Serah. And Cocoon!"

Lightning turned slowly, took long strides towards Snow, studied him for a second, and then punched him in the face.

"Does she look protected to you?" she said loudly as Snow fell to the ground, knocking Sazh over in the process.

"I can save her!" he yelled, getting to his feet, only to be sent sprawling once again by Lightning's heavy blow.

"What can you possibly do?" she shouted back, her arm tensing for another strike.

Snow pulled himself into a sitting position and looked at her intensely.

"Whatever it takes!" he said fiercely.

Lightning's ragged breathing slowed and she lowered her fist.

The rest of us watched on, afraid to interfere, until Sazh waved his arms and said, "You two are hopeless."

He began to walk away as Snow picked up his crude ice pick and continued to hack at the crystal.

"You just can't admit it," I heard Sazh say, "You want to stay as much as he does."

I returned to my task, only to be interrupted immediately by Sazh yelling wildly.

I turned to see him flailing his arms, a bright spotlight trained on him.

It didn't take long to locate the source.

Perched on the train carriage was a Sanctum machine, similar in design to a scorpion, with heavy, white armor. Its plating was beaten and scarred, as if it had been hammered repeatedly under relentless attacks, and its two front pincers were missing, leaving only small joints.

"No, no, no, not now!" Sazh yelled above its mechanical whirring.

Lightning drew her gunblade and ran towards Sazh, taking up a combat stance. The rest of us quickly followed, preparing for battle.

The machine launched itself off the carriage and landed before us, and Hope, who was the closest, ran backwards.

"Stand back!" Snow yelled, but I had no intention of letting him handle this by himself, nor did Lightning and Vanille.

The four of us took up positions, quickly joined by Sazh and Hope.

The machine – a Manasvin Warmech, as it was officially called – lowered its massive head down to our level. The four of us launched a series of attacks, but the Warmech would not be interrupted. Its head split in half, and a beam of light began to generate between the two halves.

As the beam of searing energy was let loose, and the Warmech swung its head sideways, I slid under the beam as Lightning flipped over it.

Vanille and Snow launched several magic attacks, mixing it up into a combo, hoping to beat it down for Lightning and I to deliver crushing blows.

I dashed forward, my blades in full swing when the Warmech swept its long tail towards me, colliding with my side and launching me across the area. I smashed into the wall of crystal and fell to the ground, only to have a crystal boulder collapse on me an instant later, caused by my heavy collision with the crystal wall.

I groaned and tried to heave the crystal off, which had trapped my lower body under it. As I struggled, I wondered why the Warmech hadn't finished me off yet, and peered over at the battle.

Snow branched off from the main group and was bracing himself against an onslaught of attacks, using l'Cie magic to shield himself.

Suddenly, the boulder flew into the air and a surge of energy rushed through me, breathing life into my aching limbs.

While Snow was drawing the attention of the Warmech, Vanille had launched a gust of air in my direction, blowing the boulder off me, and Hope had instantly healed me. Within moments, I was back in the fray.

"James, grab its tail!" Lightning shouted over the sounds of battle.

I saw my opportunity.

As the Warmech swung its tail at Snow, who was still in a defensive position, I leaped at it, hooking my leg around it and pulling myself on.

With a massive effort, I readied my blades while managing to keep my position on the machine's tail, and as it neared the ground, I stabbed with all my strength, leaning forward in an attempt to force the tail downward.

The blade stabbed all the way through the end of its tail and lodged itself into the crystal, pinning the tail down.

I clambered off and moved towards where the tail began, and swung my remaining blade, severing the appendage.

Sparks flew and I ran around its front to assist the others in damaging it.

After repeated blows and many dents in its battered armor, the Warmech shuddered. I took that as a good sign, and Lightning leaped onto its back and impaled her gunblade into its head, splitting wires and causing the Warmech to spasm wildly. Lightning held her position, twisting her blade until the Warmech was finally still.

"Finally!" I let out a breath and went to retrieve my second blade, sliding them together and holstering the rifle.

"That wasn't so bad," I said to the group, but none seemed willing to share in my celebration.

Lightning turned and began to walk off, but found her way barred by Snow's large frame.

"You're leaving?" he demanded.

I looked over at the crystallized form of Serah, grasping the importance of getting away from here as soon as possible, but I knew that Snow would never leave her behind.

"We want to help Serah too," Sazh sighed. "But without tools... we could be digging for days." He approached Snow. "The army's on our trail. For now, we've got to keep moving. For now," He said, trying to reassure him.

"So I just abandon her, and save myself?" Snow asked desperately.

"What about your Focus?" Lightning asked coldly.

Snow looked at her, trapped by his own promises.

"What happened to banding together and saving the world? Isn't that what you promised? Now you want to forget it all and die right here?"

Snow looked at his shoes.

"Snow," she sighed. "You're nothing but talk."

Then she walked past him.

Snow didn't move. Neither did the rest of us, though in my opinion, Lightning had been spot-on, albeit a little harsh.

"Lightning!" he said.

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Snow said. "I'll finish this Focus... _and_ keep Serah safe. That's my promise."

Lightning's next words were cold and indifferent.

"Great job so far," She continued walking.

Sazh was next. He walked up to Snow.

"Stay out of trouble," Snow said with a smile.

Sazh nodded and placed a hand on the big man's shoulder.

"You too," He said, and went to join Lightning.

Vanille and Hope stood there for a moment.

"Get going," Snow said, pointing over his shoulder.

Vanille went first, stopping when she reached Snow.

"Later," he said.

"Okay," she replied, and she followed Sazh and Lightning.

Hope was quick to follow, but stopped just passed Snow. He paused for a moment, then wheeled to face the man.

"Snow..." he began.

But he couldn't go on. Hope stammered for bit before Snow said, "save it for next time, kiddo. You'll get left behind."

Hope again began to move, before stopping and turning back to Snow.

"But..."

"It's okay, Hope. Light will take of you. We'll meet again." He grinned.

"Yeah," Hope said. "Count on it." He hurried after Vanille.

Snow looked at me, and I nodded once.

"Take care of yourself, Snow," I said. "And give PSICOM hell for me."

I knew they would catch up to him soon.

Snow smiled. "You too, James, and remember, you're the exception."

I grinned and nodded. "Don't beat up any more monsters, okay."

He winked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

I gave a short laugh and shook my head, giving him a quick pat on the back as I passed him and saying "good luck," then went to catch up with the others.

Hope glanced back at Snow and I stopped next to him.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," I reassured the boy. "We'll see him soon enough."

Hope nodded.

"Count on it."


	4. Survival of the Fittest

**SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST**

* * *

"I'm not happy about leaving the kid on his own," Sazh said, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, but it's his choice." I said.

"Do you think we should've... _made_ him come with us?" Vanille asked.

I shook my head.

"Nothing would have made him leave Serah behind. But I don't envy him when PSICOM show up."

"Hey, maybe they won't find him," Vanille said hopefully.

Sazh snorted. "He's a bit hard to miss. Guess all we can do is pray he makes it out okay."

"We'll be lucky if _any_ of us manage that," I said.

Sazh started walking. "Come on, she'll leave us behind."

Lightning was indeed far ahead of us, with Hope trailing behind her.

As I hurried to catch up, I thought back to Snow's confrontation with her. She was grieving, certainly, but did she have to be _so_ hard on Snow? I knew Lightning was a practical woman, that much was made obvious when she left Serah and Snow to their fate. Survival was the name of the game here, and staying on that ridge was _not_ going to be good for our health.

But the thought of Snow, still working his way through the crystal, was not an image I could easily banish.

Thankfully, we encountered a large group of Terraquatics – small frog-like creatures that brought their prey down as a group – and the ensuing battle took my mind, if only briefly, off the quickly diminishing hope of survival.

"Hey, kid... Er, James," Sazh called to me.

I slowed so he could catch up, and matched my pace to his.

"Yeah?"

"You're PSICOM, right?"

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"I mean," he backtracked. "You know all their plans, and how they might try to catch us."

"Oh." It was true that my knowledge would probably prove helpful, _if_ I anticipated the Sanctum's moves correctly.

I thought for a moment.

"First thing would be to set up a perimeter," I said, trying to view the matter from the enemy's point-of-view. "Then hit squads."

"Hit squads?"

I nodded. "PSICOM's got trackers. They'll be following our movements."

Sazh looked behind him, and I looked over my shoulder warily as well, just in case.

"The good news is that we won't leave footprints, and if we come across a stream..." I stopped, struck by the absurdity of my notion.

Sazh hadn't missed it either.

"Stream? The whole _lake's_ turned to crystal!"

I turned away, abashed.

"Anyway," I continued my analysis, "It all depends on how far the Sanctum's willing to go to catch us. There hasn't been an incident like this for centuries, they might mobilise the entire army against us."

"How do we fight an entire army?" Sazh asked, hanging his head.

I shrugged.

"Don't worry!" Vanille skipped over to us. "They have to catch us first!" Then she skipped ahead, humming a cheerful tune.

I scratched my head as she departed.

"I don't get it," I said.

Sazh chuckled. "I don't either."

We came across a large chasm in the crystal, with a large, black tube stretching across the gap.

"Seriously?" I said to Lightning, who agilely jumped onto the tube and began to cross.

Vanille went next, hopping onto the tube.

I grumbled, tried not to look down, failed, and stepped onto the tube.

It wasn't as hard as it looked; the tube was wide enough that I was able to walk across easily.

"Okay, do not shake the slippery tube," Sazh said loudly from behind me. "We cool on this? Do _not_ shake the slippery tube!"

"It's only scary if you look down!" Vanille cried back to him. "You should close your eyes!"

"Yeah, because that will _definitely_ make this easier!" I called to her, her laughter being the only response I got.

I stepped off the tube with immense relief, only to see Lightning already moving.

"She's a machine," I muttered to Sazh, who nodded, smiling.

Suddenly, there was a cracking sound above me, and I looked up, only to have a small chip of crystal hit me in the face.

"Ow- okay, I'm in pain," I said, rubbing my head.

I turned, blushing furiously, and saw Sazh trying unsuccessfully to stop laughing, Vanille was giggling to herself with her hands over her mouth. Hope was grinning. Even Lightning cracked a smile.

"Not funny," I growled, gnashing my teeth.

That didn't stop them from laughing, though. The four of them turned abruptly, but I could still hear Sazh sniggering quietly.

I knelt down and picked up the shard of crystal, turning it over in my hands. It shone brightly, all blue and pink.

Focussing, I drew out the magic energy that pulsed within me, feeling it spiral from the brand on my shoulder to the tips of my fingers, gathering in my palm.

I concentrated, willing the magic into the form I wanted, and the crystal shot into the air, propelled by a gust of wind that had emanated from my palm.

I grinned, struck by a sudden idea.

"Hey, guys." I hurried after them, still clutching the rock.

"Check this out," I said when I reached them.

The four of them turned, looking interested, except Lightning, who sighed.

"I know we need to get moving," I said to her reassuringly, "but I just want to see if this works."

I concentrated again, willing the magic to remain under my control. The crystal shuddered, then rose a few inches, hovering in the air above my palm.

"What is that, telekinesis?" Sazh asked, sweeping his arm under the rock.

"Nope, just basic wind magic," I explained. I willed the magic to surround the rock, enclosing it in a ball of air, and then directing that ball around my head.

"Let me try it with something bigger," I said.

I let the magic go and the rock fell to the ground. I extended my blades, gave one to Sazh to hold, and then tried to repeat the action with the one I was still holding.

It was easy to get the magic flowing, but when I tried to wrap it around the blade, as I had with the crystal shard, the blade was suddenly sent flying.

"Whoa!" I cried out, jumping backwards as the blade flew passed me.

The blade buried itself in the wall of crystal, quivering from the impact.

"Let's not try that again," Sazh said, handing me back the blade.

I nodded, wide-eyed, and wrenched the other blade from the crystal, reverting it back into its rifle from and holstering the weapon.

"If I can keep control of it..." I mused to the others, who had started walking again.

Images of my blades swirling around me, dealing instant death to any enemy, filled my mind, my companions faces watching in awe and adoration. Lightning's face stood out particularly clearly...

"Still couldn't talk to him?" Vanille's voice roused me from my reverie, and I concentrated on the task at hand.

"You'll never get past this if you don't say something," The orange-haired girl was addressing Hope, who was looking forlornly at his shoes.

"Words won't change anything," Hope said. "But next time we meet, he'll learn exactly how I feel."

I puzzled over the exchange briefly, before deciding that whatever they were talking about they would share with us when they were ready.

Ahead of us was a long, wide bridge, and at the end of it was a wall of crystal, blocking our path.

"Dead end," I said to Lightning, who stared at the crystal, as if she could shatter it with her gaze. It occurred to me that given enough time, she probably could.

"Hey!" I turned at Vanille's voice.

She was waving her arms and pointing at the wreckage of one of the Sanctum's warships.

Lightning and I went up to examine it.

"I don't think it's gonna work," I said after a quick look at its dented and cracked exterior.

"That will," Lightning said, indicating the attached gun with her gunblade.

As I watched, Lightning climbed up to the gun and swiped at it with her blade. The contact caused the gun to fire, and the wall of crystal came crashing down.

"Nice work," I complimented her as she rejoined us. She merely nodded.

I looked up at the warship again.

"How convenient," I muttered to myself, thinking that we were due for some good luck.

We crossed the bridge and went through a long crystal corridor which opened up onto a wide expanse of frozen waves.

In the centre was a giant mechanical behemoth, with huge claws and sharp teeth. Its armor was green, and there were two long tendrils writhing from the base of its head.

"Just once," I said, drawing my blades as the others prepared for battle. "Just _once_ I'd like to find an _enemy-free _area."

"It's good experience, though," Vanille said.

I shook my head and sprung, dodging underneath a lethal swipe of the Behemoth's muscled foreleg. I carved a deep cut into its vulnerable belly and rolled away before it could attack me again.

As Vanille and Sazh began to attack it with magic, Lightning dashed forward and lunged. The Behemoth moved surprisingly fast and dodged sideways, so the blade that Lightning intended to impale into the beast's head instead pierced its large shoulder.

Lightning wasn't fazed. She withdrew the blade and launched herself over the Behemoth, dragging her blade across the Behemoth's back.

The Behemoth roared and I slashed wildly, quickly imparting a series of cuts into its right foreleg and side.

The Behemoth began to retreat, limping on its injured leg, but Sazh fuelled his twin pistols with magic energy, and a series of fire-enhanced bullets flew into the beast's head, and it slumped to the ground, a mass of flesh and machinery wiped out by fire.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this whole magic thing," Sazh said as he holstered his pistols.

"Good," Lightning said, sheathing her own weapon. "We'll need to be stronger if we want to make it out of here in one piece."

"Doesn't mean I'll be happy the next time we see a room-full of enemies," I grumbled to her.

She looked at me for a moment, a frown on her face, then turned and moved on.

"Strong, silent type, huh?" I said.

"Hardly. I just don't think now is a good time for meaningful conversation," She replied.

"What about non-meaningful conversation?" I asked, trying to keep my tone serious.

She _tsk_ed. "You remind me of Snow."

I got the distinct impression that that was a bad thing.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's okay, just don't get the idea that we're all best friends because we're stuck in the same situation."

I grabbed her arm, insulted by her lack of faith and her false belief that she was the only one who could handle what was happening.

"Hey," I said quietly, "Like it or not, we _are_ stuck in this situation, and we're all you've got."

She wrenched her arm out if mine and looked at me.

"We need you, Lightning," I said fiercely. "I can't lead them by myself."

"Who says you could lead them anyway?" She said, her eyebrows raised.

I stumbled for a moment. It was the soldier rearing his head again. In all the years I served as PSICOM, _I _was the leader. It was a position that was always given to me, especially as the years went by and I was placed in charge of newer recruits.

I had assumed it would be the same now, but it was Lightning who was leading our party, not me.

"We're all following you," I conceded. "And now is _not_ the time to go all lone-wolf on us."

"I never _intended_ to! I'm trying to get _all of us_ out alive!"

I blinked.

"Well-"

"My _point_ was that you shouldn't start treating everyone like we're friends. Any one of us could die, at any moment."

The soldier agreed with her. Getting attached could be fatal in a situation where compassion was weakness. I tried to argue against that, but it was a truth I couldn't escape, just like I couldn't escape the soldier.

"Let's keep going," She said after I didn't respond.

"What's going on?" Sazh asked from behind me. The others had finally caught up.

"Nothing," I said quickly. "Just a little meaningful conversation."

"You know, she's just as scared as we are," Sazh said wisely.

I looked at Lightning's back.

"She doesn't act like it." I said.

"Neither do you."

I looked at Sazh.

"Soldier's aren't supposed to get scared, but they are," He said.

"Are you scared?" I asked him.

"Course," Sazh said, as if it were obvious.

"Me too."

He followed after Lightning, leaving me to ponder his words.

The sound of ships rent the air, and I instinctively ducked. Ahead of me, Lightning and Sazh were lying prone on the edge of the cliff, peering at something in the valley below. I hurried over to them and followed their gaze, crouching down.

In the centre of a mass of PSICOM soldiers was a gigantic battleship, surrounded by smaller warships and cruisers.

"Look at that," Sazh said. "They're sending in cruisers. Primarch must be sweating bullets, mobilizing ships like that."

"They must be hunting down Purge survivors," Sazh said once Vanille and Hope had joined us.

"I hope everyone made it out okay," Vanille said.

"So do I," Sazh replied. "But nowhere is safe for them now. Damn it!" He hung his head. "Just 'cause they shared a neighbourhood with a fal'Cie... They get treated like Pulse-tainted rats."

"People really hate Pulse, don't they?" Vanille asked quietly.

"Not _hate_..." Sazh pulled himself into a kneeling position. "More like _fear_. Tens of millions of people all scared of Pulse boogeymen. They'd be shaking in their beds every night if they knew that l'Cie like us were around."

"But... they Purged that entire town!" Vanille cried.

"It's crazy, I know. But the Sanctum fal'Cie did nothing to stop it." Sazh's voice took on a depressed tone. "Up until now, Eden's always stepped in to correct their errors in judgement. Guess humans aren't worth the effort." He sighed. "Figure they'll let us just kill each other off."

Behind me, Hope stood.

"L'Cie are not human," He said.

Vanille also got to her feet and rounded on Hope. "Listen you, that's enough!" she said forcefully, grabbing his wrist. She stopped when she looked at the mark on Hope's wrist, and let him go, taking a few steps away from us.

"We're still alive," she said, trying to recapture her cheerfulness. "That's something."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and I braced myself.

"What-"

"Where is it?"

"I don't know-"

The five of us looked around, trying to determine the source of the earthquake.

"There!" Lightning looked up, and I followed suit as several cruisers soared passed us.

"They're sealing off the area," Lightning said, "They're trying to trap the stragglers." She turned to us. "We've got to get moving before we're caught in the net.

I got to my feet.

"It won't take them long to set up a perimeter and surround us," I said. "We've got to move fast."

We moved much more quickly now, and it wasn't long till we started seeing PSICOM soldier's patrolling the area. We avoided those where we could. It was too much to hope that a battle wouldn't attract others.

We also began to encounter watchdrones (mechanical scouting devices that floated in mid-air and pummelled enemies with the end of their triangular bodies, which ended with a sharp point and generated electricity) and velocycles (hovering motorcycles programmed to kill enemies using gun turrets and missile launchers attached to the front).

"Do you even know where you're going?" I called to Lightning as we climbed higher, leaping from ledge to ledge.

"Lake Bresha was surrounded by towns before the War of Transgression; I think the closest one is that way." She replied, pointing in the distance.

"What?" I cried incredulously. "That will be crawling with soldiers!"

"Exactly." She turned to me, a smile on her face. "It's also where they'll keep the ships. We can hijack one and get out of here."

"And go where?"

She didn't answer. If she had a destination in mind, which I doubted, she wasn't going to share it.

As we moved closer to what was left of the towns, more debris appeared in our path, sometimes even blocking routes and forcing us to detour around them. Most of these detours put us within range of the soldiers.

"How much further?" Sazh called, clambering breathlessly up yet another cliff.

"Can't be far, now," I answered. "_Please_ let there be food on the ship." I pleaded under my breath.

We ran along another cliff, and Vanille hurried ahead, exclaiming at the view. It was admittedly far better than anything else I had seen today, and at higher ground like this, there were no waves obstructing our view.

Everything in sight had been turned to crystal.

"The whole place is crystal!" Vanille exclaimed.

Sazh walked up to her, looking out at the crystal expanse.

"I wonder what it would be like," He mused. "To become a crystal, I mean."

Vanille turned to him. "You're gonna complete your Focus?"

Sazh shrugged. "Maybe, if I knew what it was. I probably don't want to know."

The rest of us were silent, all thinking the same thing: What if Snow was wrong?

"Hey, Lightning," Vanille started. "Did Serah say anything to you about her Focus?"

Lightning sighed and placed a hand to her chest.

"Nothing," She said softly.

"Oh, you know what?" Vanille dashed in front of Lightning's grief-filled face. "She probably didn't want to worry you."

"Or she just... didn't think she could trust me," Lightning said, turning away from us.

It dawned on me how hard this must be for Lightning, having to deal with the loss of her sister, Snow's insensitive belief that she could be saved, and the unknown destiny that faced her – that faced _all_ of us... how does one cope?

We walked in silence for a while, Lightning leading, and Hope trailing behind.

We finally emerged from a cavern to see the remains of the town, if you could call it that. All that was left was a gate, and some archways that was surrounded by ruins.

"Whoa," I said, peering around me at the crumbling pillars and walls.

"This place must have looked real nice in it's hey-day," Sazh said.

I nodded.

"Let's go!" Lightning called.

"I guess sightseeing isn't high on her list of priorities," I said to Sazh, who grinned, but moved on.

Just like I guessed, the ruins were filled with soldiers, and a few bioweapons. There was even a Behemoth that we managed to skirt around undetected.

"Even the flames turned to crystal," Sazh said, indicating a cluster of red crystals that clearly used to be fire. "This is ridiculous."

I tapped the crystal and chuckled, amused.

We came across a large group of PSICOM soldiers, headed by one of the elites. The elite was much taller than the rest, largely thanks to the uniform, which was almost regal in design.

"Those'll be our cold-blooded beasts, I take it," Sazh muttered, looking at the soldiers. "They use some sort of devices for their magic. I don't think it's the same as the l'Cie stuff."

"It's not," I told him. "PSICOM uses manadrives to create magic, similar to AMP technology. But it's not as strong as l'Cie magic."

"Good to know," Lightning said. "That'll give us an advantage."

I gave her points for practicality.

There was an old corridor that was barricaded by fallen debris, but there seemed to be enough space for us to get through, and we emerged on the other side dusting down our clothes and wiping grime from our faces.

"Here," Vanille said, approaching me. I had a cut on my right forearm, and she used a quick healing spell to seal it.

"Thanks," I said, rubbing the unmarked skin.

"No worries," She said, and bounced off.

How could she be so optimistic? To me, our situation was all but hopeless, and we were just postponing the inevitable. Even if we did escape the Sanctum's net, it was either complete our Focus – whatever that was – and turn to crystal, or become a Cie'th. Either way, there didn't seem to be many bright spots on the horizon.

We approached a set of stairs, and began to climb, a chill creeping in the air.

"Something's making the hairs on my neck stand up," Sazh said.

"You've got to stop worrying, Sazh!" Vanille said exasperatedly.

"No, I'm getting the 'something bad's gonna happen' vibe, too," I said, placing a hand on my weapon.

"We outran 'em," Vanille tried to console me. "We'll be okay now."

The stairs opened into a large square space with arches surrounding three sides, and the stairs behind us. Crystal fire decorated the entire area.

Vanille was staring around the place in wonder, gasping audibly and running this way and that, examining everything she found and gasping louder still.

"Stay close," Lightning warned, but Vanille ran ahead.

"I want to look around," She shouted back to us.

Lightning sighed, an annoyed look on her face.

She turned to me, and was about to say something when Vanille's scream of terror made us all look in her direction.

She was running towards us, and behind her was a bioweapon. A bioweapon that was flying, swooping towards the ground in an attempt to get to Vanille, who dodged out of the way, causing the creature to crash into the wall.

But the collision did nothing to stop it. It roared, and flew towards us.

I recognised the bioweapon, it was a Garuda Interceptor, and it was one of the military's most dangerous bioweapons.

Vanille ran behind Sazh, who stood in front of her, his pistols already drawn. Beside me, Lightning was in a half-crouch, ready to launch herself at the creature. I drew my own weapon.

"Still think coming here was a good idea?" I asked over the flapping of wings.

She responded by running swiftly towards it, sidestepping as the Interceptor lunged forward with it's neck, snapping it jaws. Lightning dodged and swung, cutting open the Interceptor.

Sazh was already firing his pistols, leaving a trail of bullet-holes in the Interceptor's wing.

I dashed at it, recognising the taint of l'Cie magic as the monster suddenly collapsed, unable to lift its wings. Behind me, Vanille was trying to sabotage the creature, her magic slowing it.

As I brought my blades down, the creature swept its neck, knocking me over. I grunted as I hit the floor, but was on my feet almost instantly. Vanille's spell had worn off, and the bioweapon was in the air again. I jumped, my blades pointing away from me, at its wing, and I cut through the thin membrane. The Interceptor sank to its side and I impaled both blades into it.

As I withdrew the blades, I saw Lightning slash at it, then flip away, her gunblade in its ranged form and spewing bullets. The Interceptor roared in agony, and swung its uninjured wing at me. I tried to flip over it, but the wing was much too big to be avoided. As I crashed to the floor, I suffered a moment of confusion. I felt the impact, but it barely winded me, and it took me a moment to understand what had happened. On the other side of the battleground, Hope had cast a protection spell that had shielded me from most of the damage.

As I prepared for another blow, the Interceptor turned and flew back, crashing through fiery crystal and crumbling ruin alike into another area.

"It's charging up," Lightning said as the Interceptor spread its wings and began to glow.

"Charging? What are you talking about? Charging for what?" Sazh cried, suddenly uncertain as to his next move.

A white light began to surround the Interceptor, electricity crackling in the air around it.

"Its last moments," Lightning said determinedly, and she rushed forward.

I was right behind her. The Interceptor had a final attack to perform when it was reaching the end of its life, and the attack would probably kill us unless we finished it first.

Lightning ran, faster than I could ever have believed. She was the first to reach the Interceptor, and then she jumped, as high as she could, just as the light collected into the centre of the bioweapon's mouth. It opened its jaws wide and flew higher. Lightning wasn't going to make it. I knew she would be right at the centre of the energy beam, a beam that would end our journey before it had really begun.

Still running, I dropped my blades and held out my hands in front of me, palms open. The energy burst from them, a mighty gust of wind that propelled Lightning towards the Interceptor, and she brought down her gunblade.

The light vanished, the wings drooped, and Lightning wrenched her blade from the Interceptor's mouth, dropping lightly on the ground as the Interceptor collapsed, shaking the ground when it hit it.

Panting, I retrieved my weapon and holstered it.

"That was too close," I said to Light.

She nodded.

"That was some quick thinking, kid," Sazh said, clapping me on the back.

"Lucky break," I replied, grinning and rubbing my back. The exertion from the battle had left my entire body aching.

"Let's not get into any more fights for a while, ok," I said to the group at large.

Vanille giggled, then pointed behind us.

"Check it out!"

We turned.

There, at the edge of the ruin, was a lone cruiser, still in good condition despite the battle that had occurred around it.

"Come on," Sazh commanded, approaching the cruiser. "Hop to it, let's go!"

"Can you fly it?" I asked, praying that he could... and that he couldn't.

"Yeah, I used to be an airship pilot, before this whole mess," He said.

"Too bad," I muttered.

He looked at me, brow furrowed.

"What's wrong, kid? Scared?" He said the last word sarcastically, like it was a joke, but I turned a pain-filled expression on him and he faltered.

"Seriously? Big, tough soldier like you is scared of heights?"

"It's not so much the heights, I can handle the heights. It's the whole, let's-all-get-on-a-machine-that-could-crash-and-send-us-all-to-our-feiry-deaths kind of thing." I said this very fast.

"If you want to survive, then you'll get on the ship," Lightning said in an amused voice.

"Fear of flying is a _very_ common phobia," I said defensively.

"It's not for a soldier."

I groaned. "Let's just go," I said, willing my feet to board the ship.

"This'll make things easier!" Vanille said, clapping her hands together.

"Yeah, knowing our luck, it's probably missing and engine."

"Really?" I asked hopefully.

"You shouldn't be so negative," She said to us.

"And you shouldn't get your hopes up," Sazh said dismissively.

I let the others on first, but Lightning placed a hand on my back and pushed me up the boarding ramp.

As the ramp closed, I thought I heard the fluttering of wings.

* * *

I hacked at the base of Serah's crystal, trying desperately to get her free. For hours, I had been trying, sweat beading on my forehead and soaking my bandanna with my exertion.

Cruisers flew above me, and I knew my time was up, but I kept at it.

"_Sweep team to base. L'Cie spotted. I repeat, l'Cie spotted."_ The cruisers were back, and they were reporting my location. Soon, they would be here.

"_Pulse l'Cie. Confirmed."_

My breathing became heavier, and I stood up.

There were three cruisers floating above me, spotlights dancing around my position.

"You gonna lend me a hand, or what?" I yelled at them, still holding my substitute ice-pick.

Soldiers fell to the ground, landing safely thanks to their grav-con units. They weren't PSICOM, they were Guardian Corps.

"_Commencing cleanup protocol."_

The soldiers had their guns trained on me.

"Cleanup?" I said, gripping the crude bar in front of me. "Let me help!"

I drew my arm back, and hurled the bar with as much force as I could muster. It flew, colliding with several soldiers and sending them sprawling to the ground.

I jumped down, got a running start, and leaped, straight onto one of the soldiers, the force felling him instantly.

I always knew it would come to this. I stood and settled into a fighting stance as the soldiers started firing.

I ran sideways, the bullets leaving a trail behind me. I fired several fireballs as I ran around them, seeing with satisfaction the soldier's sink to the ground as my magic hit them.

I changed direction, and charged the nearest one, leaping into the air and landing with a mighty blow that knocked him unconscious. Another ran out of ammo, and he raised his gun, as if intending to hit me with it, and rushed me. I stepped to the side and held out my arm, clotheslining him. The impact was jarring, and the soldier hit the ground hard.

More guns were aimed at me, and I quickly enveloped myself in a shield of magic that the bullets couldn't penetrate. As soon as they were out of ammo and began to reload, I let the magic go and rushed them, one after the other, a flurry of fists. As soon as the last one was dispatched, I stumbled, trying catch my breath which came in ragged gasps.

More troops landed around me, but I couldn't go on. I collapsed, barely able to hold myself up. Behind me, Serah was still encased in crystal. I would never get her out, or join her...

The brand on my forearm began to burn, and I gasped. The l'Cie mark was glowing again, and the soldiers were retreating as superstition settled in.

A blue ball of light appeared in front of me, decorated with intricate patterns. I pulled myself into a kneeling position.

The ball exploded, and two women – were they women? - appeared, circling each other and descending towards me. They looked like a combination of a vehicle and a person, their hair solidifying and curling back around a large wheel. Their legs were pipes, like those found on vehicles or motorcycles.

The soldiers were as surprised as I was when the wheels suddenly span away from the two women and hurtled towards the soldiers, knocking them down in a whirlwind formed by the wheels. Once the soldiers were still, the wheels sped back to their owners. One of the wheels settling back underneath one of the women's hair, and the other coming to rest in the grasp of the other woman.

"What's happening?" I muttered.

The two women turned to me, and I knew they were going to attack.

I did the only thing I could as one moved towards me. I set up a magical guard and waited. One of them stayed back, while the other tried to penetrate my shield with her wheel, which span with increasing speed against the shield. I could sense their approval as I stood there protecting myself. There was a connection between me and these mysterious beings, why they were here, I didn't know, but I knew that if I could defend myself for long enough, they would surrender.

With each attack, the connection grew stronger, and I let the shield dissipate every few moments to hurl a magic attack their way, which strengthened the connection even more.

As the wheel tried again to push through my defence, leaving a trail of ice against the invisible shield, I felt the connection reach its peak. I felt their approval, and their resolve. A word, unbidden, escaped my lips.

"Shiva!"

As if on command, the two women flew into the air and curled around each other, shifting and changing, becoming more machine than woman. They intertwined themselves around each other, until a motorcycle landed on the ground before me, as much alive as I was.

Then the motorcycle disappeared, and I felt the connection I shared bond with me through the l'Cie brand. It burned white hot and I clawed at it, waiting for the pain to fade.

I collapsed when the pain became too much, and then it started to pass. I stayed on the ground until the brand was back to normal, and heard footsteps.

"The Twin Sisters."

A woman's voice, with a strange accent, pierced my ears.

"I've got to hand it to you for taking 'em down, but don't gloat just yet," The woman said. "Might come a time you wish you'd let 'em end it, and made things easy."

I struggled to my feet to be greeted by the sight of a woman dressed in a blue robe, with black hair and wielding a long, red spear that was pointed at me.

"More of you, huh? I said weakly in an attempt at bravado.

More soldiers surrounded me, and she addressed one that wasn't wearing a helmet. He had long brown hair that fell to his shoulders, and he held his gun against his shoulder.

"He's a l'Cie. Take him," She commanded the soldier.

He pointed his gun at me.

"Back off!" I snarled.

The woman lowered her spear and walked up to me.

"You want to keep breathing?" She lowered herself to my level and cupped my chin in her hand. "Shut up and come quiet."

I flinched away, and she swung her hand, the side of her palm colliding with my neck.

Then everything went black.

* * *

I awoke propped up between two soldiers, and the first thing I saw was Serah's crystal being transported onto a cruiser that had landed in front of me.

"Serah." I called her dazedly, still a little out of it. "Serah!" I said again, louder.

A soldier approached me, gun aimed at my chest.

"Shut it!" He said.

I glared at him, but kept quiet.

The woman who had apprehended me came closer and put a hand on the soldier's gun.

"Stand down," she commanded. She pointed towards the ship, and the two holding me upright began to carry me to the ramp.

I didn't take my eyes off the woman, and then I saw it.

On her shoulder was the mark of a l'Cie, but it was burnt and scarred, its progress halted.

"You too? Why are you helping them?" I demanded of her.

"If I were you I'd worry about myself," she said.

* * *

I buckled up, double checking that the straps were completely secure. Why did we have to _fly_ away?

I felt the ship start to rumble and shake and pressed my eyes closed tight, gripping the arms of my seat behind Vanille.

I could hear my companions begin to yell, and I opened my eyes for the briefest second.

It was a second too long.

We were entering a long, dark tunnel that lead upwards, and behind us were about a dozen PSICOM warships.

Spotlights from above illuminated the tunnel, and I could barely make out a squad of ships surrounding the outer edges of the tunnel's exit.

"Please don't crash, please don't crash, please don't crash!" I repeated to myself, praying to any higher power that might be out there.

They fired.

Yellow beams flashed around us, and the ship rocked around the tunnel.

"Aww, no!" Sazh yelled.

"Give me that!" Lightning leant forward from her seat and grabbed the wheel.

The ship shook even more as the gun on its underside fired upwards. An explosion rent the air and we sped out of the tunnel.

"Did we get 'em?" Vanille asked.

More shots sounded around us, piercing the sky.

"We got _one_ of them," Lightning said.

"They're still behind us!" Hope screamed in the seat next to me.

Then I completely lost my head.

"We're dead!" I yelled, clawing at the back of Vanille's seat. "We're gonna die, I knew it! This was a bad idea, a _very_ bad idea!"

Lightning was still competing with Sazh for the controls.

"Stop that!" he said, trying to shove Lightning's hand away and piloting the ship around several close buildings that did nothing for my nerves.

"You _want_ to die?" he shouted, pushing Lightning back into her seat.

"NO!" I screamed.

We entered a trench with walls that grew more narrow as we progressed, the warships still firing at us.

"How are you gonna lose 'em?" Hope asked desperately.

"You got me, kid," Sazh said.

"_What_?_" _ I yelled at him.

"Then let me," Lightning demanded from her seat in front of Hope.

"No, thank you!" Sazh shouted back at her.

I could see light now, we were approaching the end of the trench.

"We're not gonna make it!" I shouted.

"We'll make it!" Sazh yelled at me.

We made it. We burst from the trench and into the blinding light. Clouds were everywhere, and the sky was all we could see. It was hard to believe something so peaceful could still exist.

There was a giant white ship in the sky, but more shots echoing around us forced me to focus on more important things.

"They're still on us?" Sazh shouted, amazed.

The ship was suddenly rocked, hard, and I lurched sideways, my shoulder colliding painfully with the window.

"We're taking hits!" Sazh shouted.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" I yelled, rubbing my shoulder.

We flew into a long river surrounded by walls of rock, the ship going so close to the water that sprays of liquid hit the window.

"You know, if we were in _any_ other situation I might think this was cool!" I shouted irritably.

"Come on, give me a break!" Sazh yelled.

The walls of rock narrowed, and as we passed under a layer of rock, Sazh shot at it, causing it to fall.

I held my breath as we passed, but the rock collapsed behind us, and I heard the distinct sound of a ship exploding.

"Did we lose 'em?" I asked as we flew upwards into the air again.

"For now," Sazh said, then he bashed his fist onto the control panel.

"Okay," I said dramatically. "I need everyone to start looking for food."

It took about two seconds before Sazh tossed me several bars of food designed for flight troopers. The type that contained all the nutrients and only barely sated your hunger.

"These will have to do for now. Thanks," I said, tearing one open.

"If we _ever_ get into a town," I said between bites. "I am going to a restaurant. And a clothing store." I tacked on as an afterthought.

"Probably a good idea," Lightning said. "That's if PSICOM hasn't put the word out telling cities to look out for us."

I crossed my fingers and held them up. "Here's hoping."

I slumped back in my chair as a hologram appeared in front of me. It was a display of the news channel.

"_Next, an update on the status of the Purge. Just moments ago, the Sanctum announced the successful conclusion of the Purge, along with the safe arrival of the Cocoon migrants to their new homes on Pulse._

The display showed an attractive blonde newsreader and an image of the Pulse vestige in Bodhum.

The hologram switched to a shot of the Primarch, an elderly man dressed in white robes and a headdress speaking.

"_Yes, that is correct. There's no denying the enormity of the strain the Purge placed on us all. But, given the tens of millions of lives at stake, there truly was no alternative."_

The display flashed back to the news desk, where a different newsreader, a man, was pointing at the still image of the Primarch on the screen.

"_Primarch Dysley stood by the move, stressing the necessity of the relocation. When asked about the possibility of future Purges, the Primarch remained noncommittal, stating only that he'd seek counsel with the fal'Cie Eden and weigh all options before making a decision."_

"Yeah, that's right," Sazh said. "If it makes the Sanctum look bad, it never even happened."

On the screen, Dysley was speaking again.

"_In all the centuries since the War of Transgression, Cocoon has been spared Pulse aggression, and prospered for it. It is essential that we maintain this peace. That is the Sanctum's focus. We will continue employing every resource available to combat these threats to the harmony of our society."_

"Meaning, we'll be running for the rest of our lives," Sazh said.

"Hey," Vanille asked. "Umm, who is this guy?" She pointed at the screen.

Sazh sighed and hung his head, and I suppressed a smile.

"I mean, what do they teach kids these days?" Sazh wondered aloud. "He's Galenth Dysley. The Sanctum Primarch. Murderer-in-chief."

"Just another tool of the fal'Cie," Lightning muttered.

"_According to our insta-poll, nearly ninety percent of Cocoon citizens agree with the Sanctum's handling of the Purge. Seventy percent of respondents said they would also support additional Purges were the need to arise."_

Sazh sighed in disgust. "Let's Purge everybody. That'll fix it!" he said.

Suddenly, red lights flashed around the interior of the ship and an alarm went off, beeping continuously.

"Points for perseverance," Sazh said as more ships gained on us, appearing from nowhere.

The chocobo chick squeaked from its nest.

A bright light pierced the windshield, and I covered my eyes.

We hurtled through a torrent of clouds to see a bright orange light hanging in the sky.

"Wow!" Vanille said.

A Sanctum fal'Cie up close and personal," Sazh explained. "Cocoon's own light in the sky."

The fal'Cie was all whirling machinery on top, and glowing light underneath, shining on the populace below.

The ship lurched again as we took another hit.

"Here we go again," Sazh said.

I groaned loudly. Why did this always happen?

"Fly in!" Lightning commanded, and Sazh steered the ship into the fal'Cie's light. "We'll lose them in there."

The ship looped and circled, avoiding the particles of heat and light that flashed around us.

"They're still on us!" I cried, only to peer out the window and see one of the warships explode as it hit one of the beams of light emanating from the fal'Cie.

"I like this fal'Cie," Sazh yelled approvingly.

"There's more of 'em!" Vanille shouted.

"Oh, come _on_!" I said loudly.

Suddenly, the ship was hit again, and it veered sideways. I could see a line of flames trailing from the end of the ship.

"Oh no!" I shouted, drawing out the words. "This is why I don't like flying!"

We plummeted downwards. I could see the ground rush up to meet us.

"Oh, crap!" I joined the throng of screaming voices as I saw the windshield crash into the ground.

Then I saw nothing.


	5. Fight and Flight

**FIGHT AND FLIGHT**

* * *

The sounds of battle assaulted my ears, softly at first, but growing louder by the second. I opened my eyes, every bone in my body crying in pain, and I slowly sat up.

The first thing I noticed was that night had fallen. We were surrounded by ruined machinery interspersed amongst the rocks. They had a name for this place: the Vile Peaks, a wasteland filled with the debris of centuries.

"What's going on?" I muttered, clutching the back of my head, which ached horribly.

It finally dawned upon me that we were being attacked. Lightning was fending off three Pantherons, dashing around and stopping them from flanking her to get to us.

I struggled to my feet, and sluggishly drew my blades as Vanille ran past me, her hair whipping about in the soft breeze.

"Lightning!" she screeched, lending her aid.

I shook my head, trying to clear it and focus, but by the time I had stumbled towards them, they had already dispatched the bioweapons.

Vanille relaxed visibly.

"Glad that's over!" she said, relieved.

"What happened?" I asked as she and Sazh, who had stumbled to his feet to watch the end of the battle, lay down, clearly exhausted.

"We crashed," Lightning replied simply.

"Yeah, I gathered that," I said, indicating the flaming wreckage of our ship. "Is everyone okay?" I asked the group.

Hope was getting up, nursing a grazed elbow. Vanille and Sazh were both catching their breath on a rock, shaken but unhurt, and Lightning was staring around, taking in our new environment.

"Man, I'm beat," Sazh said, but Lightning started walking on. "What, no break?" he asked her incredulously.

I rolled my shoulders, ironing out my stiff joints and muscles. A break seemed like a good idea.

"They're tracking us," Lightning said pointedly.

"I know that. _I know that_, but we aren't soldiers!" Sazh cried, holding out his hand. "We don't have your kind of stamina."

I looked from one to other, prepared to keep moving, half-wishing I could just lie down like the rest of them, but I knew that if we stayed put for any length of time, PSICOM would catch up to us.

"You've got enough to complain," Lightning said coldly, and continued on, following a wide path through the rock.

"Oh, that's-! Forget it!" Sazh cried, sitting back down.

Hope approached us.

"I think, um..." He looked at Lightning's retreating figure.

We understood.

"I'd stick with her if I were you," Sazh said with a wave of his hand.

"Later then." Hope gave us all one last look.

"You're really not coming?" I asked the two remaining l'Cie.

"You go ahead," Sazh said, nodding in Hope's direction.

I quickly analysed the situation. If I stayed, PSICOM would catch up to us, and following Lightning was my best chance of survival.

"We'll catch up," The older man said.

I nodded.

"Hope!" I called, hurrying after him. "Wait up!"

He was trying to climb a large square piece of wreckage.

"Here," I said, cupping my hands to give him a boost.

He regarded me briefly, as if unwilling to accept my help, but after a moment he placed his foot in my hand and I pushed him up, quickly scaling the high ledge after him.

I saw him leap off the edge. The drop was nothing for someone like me or Lightning, but for a kid like Hope...

But he managed it easily.

"What's your story, kid?" I asked, dropping lightly next to him.

After a moment of silence, he muttered, "I need to be stronger."

"You're doing pretty well so far," I said, clapping him on the back.

"It's not enough." Hope hung his head. "I need to be tough, like you... like Lightning."

"Lightning _is_ pretty tough," I agreed, smiling.

Hope nodded, and together, we began to follow the path, knowing that Lightning wasn't far ahead.

"How did _you_ get here?" Hope suddenly asked.

I looked down at him. "What do you mean?"

"You're PSICOM. You're supposed to be against us."

"Hey, I'm a l'Cie, too," I told him.

"That's not what I meant," The boy said. "You were there, in the Vestige. Why?"

It took me a moment to answer.

"Believe it or not, I went in there to rescue you."

"Rescue me?" He asked.

"All of you," I said, shaking my head.

"Why?"

I chuckled at his persistence.

"The Pulse Vestige is no place for kids."

I thought back to the two hoverbikes entering the vestige, one carrying Snow, and the other carrying two children, who I now knew to be Hope and Vanille.

"Some rescue," I said darkly.

Hope nodded.

"There she is," I said, pointing as Lightning came into view.

We jogged after her.

She turned when she heard our approach.

"Just you two?"

I nodded.

"For now, I guess," Hope said. "Should we wait?"

"They said they'll catch up," I reassured him.

"Eventually," Lightning added.

We started moving, working our way through the debris.

"All the junk around here came from Pulse, didn't it?" Hope asked our silent leader.

"Yep. This is the Sanctum's dumping ground," I said when Lightning didn't answer.

"How did it all end up here?"

I shrugged. "During the War of Transgression – you know about the War of Transgression, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, during the war, Cocoon's outer shell was cracked, so the Sanctum fal'Cie brought up scrap from Pulse to repair the damage. This is the waste."

"I suppose the Vestige arrived in Cocoon with the rest of this, huh," He said.

"Probably," I replied.

On our right, a pile of scrap began to stir, and a humanoid robot burst from it. It was rusted, with long arms ending in pincers.

"I guess it wasn't just the scrap the fal'Cie brought up here," Lightning said, drawing her gunblade.

"That thing's from Pulse?" Hope asked.

"Doesn't look like any Cocoon design I've ever seen," I said, firing several shots at it with my rifle.

Hope launched lightning magic at the Pulse automata, and it began to whir and shake.

"Nice," I said as the robot collapsed, its circuits sizzling.

We continued on our way, coming to a wall of rock and debris.

"Why is the way forward always so difficult?" I complained.

Nobody answered.

"Dead end. Guess we have to go back," Hope said, panting and clutching a stitch.

Lightning and I surveyed the rocky wall, while Hope sat down on a rock.

"Can we get through this way, you think?" Hope asked from his seat. "You... know where you're going, right?"

I grinned at the question.

"I've been here on missions before," Lightning said."

"Missions? Nothing to do with the Purge, though?" Hope asked.

I looked at him.

"The Purge is a PSICOM operation," I told him. "Not the Guardian Corps."

I looked at Lightning, who began to explain.

"Our military is split into two arms," She began. "The Public Security and Intelligence Command, known as PSICOM-"

I raised my hand.

"And the Guardian Corps. _I _was Guardian Corps, Bodhum Security Regiment."

I had been to the seaside village of Bodhum only once before. It was the home of the Pulse Vestige before it was moved to the Hanging Edge.

"Wait, but I don't get it," Hope objected. "If you're not PSICOM, then why did you board the train?"

I glanced at Lightning, who looked at the two of us.

"For Serah."

I could envision her story in my mind.

_A crowd was gathered at the Bodhum Station, lining up alongside an orange Purge train. PSICOM soldiers stood guard, directing the panicked crowd._

"_Join the end of the line!" an officer barked. "Attention Purge deportees. Follow instructions and stay in your lines."_

_There was a changing booth at the end of the line. The people exiting wore white hooded robes, and boarded the train._

"_Personal belongings will be returned upon arrival," the soldier continued._

"_Move it!" One man pushed through the crowd, closely followed by two others. The crowd parted as the soldiers converged._

"_You! Halt!" a soldier ordered the fleeing deportees. They didn't slow down, and the soldiers opened fire as gasps and screams came from the crowd._

"_Do not leave your lines!" A soldier walked through the crowd. "This is for your own safety!"_

_Lightning approached the soldier, walking with purpose._

_He noticed the Guardian Corps pauldron on her shoulder._

"_What's the GC doing here?" he demanded quietly. "This op's under PSICOM direction."_

"_So direct me," She said. "Let me on. I want to be Purged."_

_The soldier grumbled before leaning in closer._

"_Only civs get Purged. Sanctum staff and soldiers are exempt."_

_Lightning drew her gunblade and handed it to the soldier._

"_Then I quit."_

He was silent, then after a moment ordered, "Line up."

_Lightning turned and walked to the back of the line, where she was joined by an afro-haired man in a green jacket._

"_Excuse me. Hey, lady," He said to her. "What gives?"_

Lightning looked at him.

"_I volunteered," She said simply._

"_Really?" Sazh regarded her for a second. "You don't look ready to go quiet into that good night."_

"_You want quiet," she said, moving up. "You'd better take the next train."_

"I had to rescue Serah before they transported the Vestige to Pulse, and out of my reach," Lightning said. "My only chance to save her was to join the Purge."

"You're telling me you got on that train to save your sister?" Hope queried her. "That's crazy. I could never do something like that."

Lightning turned to him.

"It's not a question of can or can't," She said. "There are some things in life you just do."

"Easy for someone like you to say," Hope said despairingly, looking at his shoes.

I watched Lightning sigh and turn to the rock wall, leaping up to the top in a display of agility that was beyond me.

"Lightning!" I called up to her, and Hope's head jerked up.

She jumped the last few feet and was soon gone from our sight.

"She's good," I said.

"She left us," Hope said, sitting back down.

I turned to him.

"Don't worry," I tried to console him.

"Don't worry?" he said loudly. "What now?"

I turned to the wall. "We need to figure out a way up this thing."

"How? I can't do what she did," Hope said.

"Neither can I," I told him. "And I don't know how this works, so I can't get it running." I waved my hand at the wrecked Pulsian machine that covered the rock wall.

"Hey, guys!" I looked up to see Vanille hurrying towards us, Sazh following behind.

"We made it!" The orange-haired girl said, coming to a stop in front of Hope.

"Where's grumpy?" Sazh asked.

I pointed at the top of the rock wall.

"We'll find her," Sazh said, placing a hand on Hope's shoulder.

At the contact, Hope jumped away.

"Leave me alone!" he cried. "This is pointless." He slumped away. "Can't keep up. Can't get home. It's over for me."

Vanille leant down in front of him. "It's _not_ over! We'll get you home!" She said.

"I don't have one. Now that Mum is-" He stopped mid-sentence.

"What about your dad?" Vanille asked.

Hope paused, deep in thought.

"I was with my mom in Bodhum, watching the fireworks display," he said. "That night, they found the fal'Cie in the Bodhum Vestige. The next day, soldiers sealed off the town and we couldn't get back to Palumpolum. They forced us onto the train with everyone else. My mum, she was frantic. She wanted to get us home, so she tried to fight."

He turned to us.

"She got tricked, by Snow. He used her!"

"Snow?" I asked, but Hope ignored me, consumed as he was by the memories of his mother.

"Let's get you home, okay?" Vanille said. "Your dad's got to be worried!"

"Let him worry," Hope said savagely. "Why should I care? He doesn't."

"Any father cares." Sazh spoke from the corner.

We turned to him.

"Sazh?" Vanille said.

"It's nothing, forget it," Sazh said, turning away from us.

He walked towards the base of the wall, and I followed.

"You know how to work this?" I asked.

"This ought to do it," He said, pulling a lever on the machinery.

The machine lit up, and a ramp leading to the top of the rock extended from the opposite side.

"We've got time," he said, addressing Hope. ""We'll get you home. Your dad will be happy to see you."

"Come on," I said, leading them up the ramp, and to the top of the cliff.

We followed the path onwards, talking very little, lost in our own thoughts.

We came to a large, open space with a lake, and a wrecked ship rising from the water. The path skirted around the edge of the lake, rising gradually.

"Isn't that a-?" Vanille started to ask.

"A warship from Pulse," Sazh said.

"You mean, they made it this far?" she asked him.

"Of course not," Sazh said quickly. "Not during the war, not since. They might have tried. But none of their forces made it into Cocoon."

I nodded, I remembered all this from my schooling. In fact, I had made several excursion to the Vile Peaks with my PSICOM unit for training, and to study the Pulse warships.

"They only damaged the outer rim," Sazh continued. "Then the Sanctum's fal'Cie pushed them back. What, did you sleep through history?" he asked the young girl.

She laughed. "More or less."

I grinned. "Kids, huh?" I said to Sazh, who sighed.

"So, what's a ship from Pulse doing here?" Vanille asked.

It was Hope who answered this time.

"Once the war was over, people couldn't live near the rim anymore. In places like the Hanging Edge," Hope said. "So the fal'Cie, they gathered up the scrap from Pulse, and used it for rebuilding here. This is what was left; a bunch of garbage."

"Who'da thunk?" Sazh said. "A Pulse fal'Cie and who-knows-what, mixed in with all the trash?"

Vanille skipped ahead, much to Sazh's annoyance.

"Hey, stay where I can keep an eye on you," he called after her.

"I hope Snow's okay," I said aloud.

"Me too," Sazh responded. "Maybe..."

He didn't finish. There was practically no chance that PSICOM hadn't caught up with Snow by now.

As we came onto a platform, Lightning dropped down in front of us.

"Hey, welcome to the party!" Sazh greeted her.

"Decided to wait for us, huh?" I teased.

She just snorted.

"Would it kill her to smile?" Sazh wondered out loud.

I chuckled quietly and hurried after her.

After a half-hour of walking, we came to a clearing, and in the centre was a giant battle machine, a Dreadnought.

"What is that?" Sazh asked as the machine began to move toward us.

"Pulse armament," Lightning replied.

"And that's bad for us, isn't it?" he asked.

I nodded. "Very."

The five of us leaped out of the way as one of its arms came crashing down.

I ran in, firing, the sound of my rifle echoing around the area, but the bullets ricocheted off the Dreadnought's armour. Changing tactics, I slashed with my blades, but the metal just clanged against metal and rebounded, throwing me off-balance.

"Not fair," I said loudly. "This isn't going to work!" I shouted to Lightning.

She nodded and started barking orders, "Hope, try to disable it, Vanille, you help! Sazh, you and James use ice magic to try and freeze its systems."

"What about you?" I asked, holstering my weapon.

She ran a hand along the blade of her weapon, and it began to shimmer, then it caught on fire.

I watched as she slashed again, but this time, the blade cut deep into the metal, the fire-enhanced blade melting the metal where it struck.

"Okay! Sazh, let's do it!" I said, waving my hand and leaving a trail of ice along the length of the Dreadnought's metal torso.

"Why don't you try its legs, kid?" Sazh yelled.

He pointed his palm at the Dreadnought's feet, and the wave of ice surrounded the metal, freezing it to the ground.

I grinned, and repeated the motion on its other leg, effectively stopping it in its tracks – for about two seconds.

The Dreadnought wrenched its trapped feet from their icy prison, and started towards us again, a sliding mechanism moved on its bulky front, revealing a large cannon that sparked and whirred.

"Move!" I shouted, diving out of the way.

My companions hit the deck as an explosion rocked the ground.

The ground beneath us began to crack, and before any of us could move, it gave way and we fell.

I hit the ground hard, trying to land on my side so that my arm took most of the damage. I felt the rock scrape open the skin, but I was, miraculously, alive.

I pulled myself up, rubbing my arm.

"I thought we were goners," Sazh said, standing up and dusting himself off. The others all stood.

"Everyone all right?" I asked.

Four heads nodded in response.

"Incoming," Lightning said, her gunblade already in her hand.

The Dreadnought landed in front of us, shaking the ground.

"Any ideas?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

I wasn't disappointed. I moved with my companions, launching a relentless assault on the Dreadnought, but our blows barely dented it.

"James, try to blow a hole in it!" Lightning cried out to me.

"How?" I shouted back, dodging a lumbering blow and moving in her direction. "This doesn't come equipped with a grenade launcher!" I indicated my rifle.

"Think of something!" she said, somersaulting away.

I racked my brains. If none of our weapons could pierce it's thick armor, then what could?

Then it occurred to me.

I ran towards Hope, who was alternating between magic attacks and healing spells away from the main battle.

"Yeah?" He said, throwing a quick healing spell in Vanille's direction as she was slammed into the rock.

"On my mark, aim a fire spell at it, okay!" I told him, raising my hands and summoning the magic.

Hope didn't question my order, instead he pointed both palms at the Dreadnought.

"Now!" I yelled, sending a horizontal whirlwind of wind magic at the machine.

Beside me, Hope sent an enormous fireball towards the Dreadnought, and the two spells merged together, becoming a raging torrent of spiralling flames.

The magic collided with the Dreadnought and did what nothing else would. The Dreadnought stumbled backwards with the force of the magic, a large, smoking hole in its chest, revealing a mass of wires and circuits.

"Everyone fry it!" Lightning yelled, sending a bolt of electricity at the Dreadnought's unprotected circuitry.

In unison, the five of us launched a wave of electrical energy, and the Dreadnought keeled over backwards as it blacked out.

I replaced my weapon, panting, and placed my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

"Pulse is crawling with things like that, isn't it?" Sazh asked no one in particular.

"Got me," Lightning answered. "Not even the Corps has access to intel on Pulse."

Everyone looked at me and I sighed.

"To be completely honest, PSICOM doesn't have all that much about Pulse weaponry, only what we've gained from studying all this." I swept a hand around the area. "And seeing as this scrap is centuries old, we don't know if this is an accurate description of what they have, or whether Pulse has more advanced technology now."

I stood upright.

"We _do_ know that Pulse is crawling with wildlife, savage monsters and the like," I told them.

"Well don't you need to know what you're up against?" Sazh asked me and Lightning.

"How can we?" I replied. "We prepare against what we think they have, and pray they don't attack with anything else."

"A target's a target," Lightning said.

"You like to keep it simple, don't you?" Sazh asked her.

"I stick to my goal."

"As long as you have a goal, you can fight?" Hope asked the soldier.

Lightning folded her arms. "You can stay alive."

I looked at her, silently agreeing with her words.

We continued onwards, coming to another wreckage.

"Maybe we should take a break," I said to Lightning, noticing how the others lagged behind.

She nodded and quickly looked around, before returning and saying that it was safe.

I turned to the others.

"We're gonna rest here for a bit, okay," I told them, before settling down next to Lightning, scanning for entrances to the clearing and marking their location for future reference.

Sazh sat down next to us, stretching.

"Not much of a future for us, huh?" he said.

I stared out at the Peaks laid out before us. It was very peaceful, the mounds of rock and debris silhouetted by the moonlight.

"Hard to picture a happy ending," Lightning said resignedly.

"We don't even know where to go," Sazh said, peering below us at Hope and Vanille.

Next to me, Lightning stood.

"I do," she said.

I looked up at her. "Where?"

"There." She pointed up at the white ship above millions of miles above us.

"Eden?" Sazh asked incredulously. "The Sanctum's seat of power." He chuckled. "Oh, that's a great idea. Just charge right in there. Give 'em a taste of l'Cie terror!"

He was sarcastic, joking, but I could see it now. An image filled my mind, the Sanctum toppling, the fal'Cie Eden, taking the form of a giant white light, vanishing. The faces of nameless Purged civilians cheering as their mutinous fal'Cie leader crumbled beneath our might.

Lightning was silent.

"You're serious," Sazh said.

Lightning turned to him. "Keep running – it's die or turn Cie'th."

I subconsciously placed a hand on my left shoulder, feeling the raised skin of the scars and raking my fingertips across the brand.

"There's no place for l'Cie to hide," Lightning continued. "No... They want a fight? Let's take it to the Sanctum's door!"

"This isn't a game!" Sazh cried as I stood, nodding my head.

"No. That's for damn sure," Lightning said to him. "It started with Serah. The fal'Cie took her."

"And the Purge," I supplied, voicing my own reason for accepting her plan.

"Now I'm a l'Cie too. And the Sanctum's hunting me, an enemy of the state," Lightning said. "But who's pulling their strings?"

"A fal'Cie," I said. "Eden."

Lightning nodded. "Cocoon's Sustainer and Guiding Light. It probably ordered the Purge, too."

"It didn't stop it," I said.

"Pulse and Sanctum fal'Cie? They're all the same," Lightning said quietly. "And we're all the same to them; expendable."

Hope and Vanille had reached us, and were listening intently.

"I'm not dying a fal'Cie slave," Lightning said.

"So? What are you gonna do?" Sazh asked her.

"Destroy it," She replied.

"By yourself? What, are you crazy?" Sazh said loudly. "Say you pull it off... What's that get you? Satisfaction? Something happens to Eden, it's lights out Cocoon!" His eyes grew wide. "You _want_ that. You're a Pulse l'Cie now, so you just want to snuff out Cocoon!"

"No!" Vanille interrupted. "What about Serah? She said to save Cocoon! It might even be our Focus to make sure Cocoon stays-"

"Our Focus doesn't matter," Lightning said, taking a step towards her. "I don't take orders from fal'Cie. How I live is up to me."

"Don't you mean," Sazh said slowly, "How you die?"

"Think like that, and it's already over. Better to pick your path and keep moving." Lightning turned to face Sazh. "Don't worry. I'm after the Sanctum. I'm not out to destroy the world."

She paused.

"If it did come to that, wonder if our 'hero' would try to stop me?"

"You want to fight Snow now?" Sazh asked her. "Just like that, and you're enemies?"

Lightning looked at each of us in turn.

"Next time we meet, we might be too."

I watched her leave.

"She's right," I said.

"Not you too," Sazh said, looking at me forlornly.

"The Sanctum need to pay."

"Listen to me son, you take out the Sanctum, Cocoon comes down with it," Sazh said.

I shook my head.

"I can't just _run_ from this," I told him. "I wasn't raised that way."

"You're a _l'Cie_!" he cried. "Running is all you will ever do."

"No. If you're being hunted, take out the hunter."

Sazh snorted.

"If that's some PSICOM logic-"

"What else can I do?" I retorted, furious that he was trying to justify retreat to _me_, a soldier.

He opened his mouth, then closed it, defeated.

"Lightning's right. Set yourself an objective, and see it through," I said through clenched teeth.

"All of Cocoon is out to kill you – to kill _all_ of us!" Sazh said angrily. "If you do this, if you go with her, chances are you won't survive."

"I need to do _something_!" I said loudly. "And hers," I pointed in the direction that Lightning had gone. "Is the best plan I've heard all day. So run, if you think that's best, but I can't run with you."

Then I wheeled around and strode after Lightning.

I had gone about twenty feet when I heard footsteps behind my. I spun around, blades in hand.

It was Hope.

I sighed and replaced my weapon.

"Sorry," He said, eyeing me warily.

"It's all right, Hope," I said, letting him catch up beside me. "Come on."

Hope's appearance didn't really surprise me. He had told me earlier that he needed to be stronger, and he seemed to regard Lightning and I as the best way to achieve that goal.

I let him fall in line behind me and we set up the path after Lightning.


	6. Ride the Lightning

**RIDE THE LIGHTNING**

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

My steps were measured, controlled, underlying the new sense of purpose I had found. With a clear, definitive goal in mind, I broke away from the others. The sound of shouting was quickly drowned out as I walked on. Whatever their quarrel, I wasn't a part of it.

I knew that from the Vile Peaks, the quickest way to Eden was through the Gapra Whitewood, east of my position.

"Lightning!" A voice called to me from behind, and I was quick to recognise James' voice.

If it weren't for the extra pair of footsteps I detected, I wouldn't have stopped, knowing full well that James would be able to keep pace.

"Wait for us!"

I turned as James approached, a smile on his face. Surprisingly, Hope was behind him. I waited impatiently for the boy to catch his breath.

"We're going with you, Lightning," James said.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Both of you?" I asked. Hope's presence would be a liability that I didn't need.

The two of them nodded, Hope panting, James looking determined.

I sighed. I had planned for this to be a solo mission, but in truth, James' company would make my fight easier. Hope on the other hand...

"I can't babysit you anymore," I told the boy.

"I can fight. I'm not afraid," Hope said fiercely.

James was quick to defend his young companion.

"He can help," James said. "Get him in the field some more, toughen him up... he'll do okay."

I looked at the pair of them. I had a feeling that neither would just let me leave them here.

I noticed James' head snap up, over my shoulder, and I whipped around.

A group of PSICOM soldiers converged on us.

"Friends of yours?" I asked James, drawing my gunblade.

James laughed.

"I don't remember writing any invitations," He said. His teeth were bared in a snarl at the soldiers.

One of the soldiers raised his hand, a small device enclosed within his fist.

"Get down!" James yelled suddenly, pushing Hope forward as they both dived to the ground. I mirrored their movements immediately just as an explosion rocked the ground.

There was a flash of light and the sound of metal collapsing close behind us.

The soldiers raised their rifles, intending to fire at us while we were down.

I didn't hesitate – I rolled sideways as a line of bullets sprayed into the ground beside me. I came up firing, bullets spewing from my retracted gunblade.

The soldiers sprang for cover, and I rushed in, my gunblade extending. I leaped over a rock behind which a soldier was crouching and slashed at him in mid-air, blood spurting from a gaping wound in his chest. I landed, sliding a bit on my boots as James impaled both blades into another, then placing his foot on the corpse's chest and shoving it forward. The blades slid out with a squelch, and the corpse collapsed onto another soldier, who fell under its weight.

I turned and dashed towards another soldier, zigzagging between bursts of gunfire. The soldier stumbled backwards once I reached him, but I quickly delivered a powerful kick to his mid-section, sending him flying where he crashed, head-first, into the rock wall.

There were two soldiers remaining, and I raced forward, striking one over the head with the hilt of my blade, and spinning around to slash at the other, who fell instantly. I turned back, intending to finish the final soldier, but before I could attack, a large fireball collided with the soldier, and he collapsed to the ground, his body alight. I turned to see Hope, his arm outstretched, a look of disgust and horror on his face, which probably had something to do with the fact that the soldier was still alive, screaming wildly and rolling back and forth. I quickly put him out of his agony.

James walked calmly over to Hope.

"Nice work, kid," He said bracingly, winking at me. I shook my head.

"Not bad," I said to Hope, catching James' hint.

"Really?" Hope looked up at me, a glint in his eyes. "Thanks."

I nodded, and tried not to notice James beaming at me.

"Come on," Hope said, walking ahead of me and James. Probably trying to prove how tough he is.

"There will be more soldiers. We should keep moving," The boy said.

"Let's go then," James said, taking the lead, but I stayed put. I recalled Hope's expression as he watched the burning soldier.

"Lightning?" I heard James ask, concern in his voice.

"Are you worried about the others?" Hope asked. "I'm sure they got away okay."

I turned to him.

"So can you, if you leave now," I said to him, ignoring James' accusing look. "With me, it'll be fight after fight. I don't know how it'll end. It's anybody's guess."

Hope hung his head.

"I know that. But – I need to be stronger."

"Lightning, let him stay," James said.

"Lightning?" Hope said.

I looked at them both. If this was the way it had to be, so be it.

"Call me Light," I told them.

James grinned at me.

"What's the plan from here?" Hope asked.

"Through the Gapra Whitewood to Palumpolum. We'll find transport to Eden."

"You know PSICOM will have put the word out on us by now," James said. "Soldiers will be everywhere. If we can get through the Gapra Whitewood, it'll be a miracle." The soldier's brow furrowed. "Palumpolum should be easier. We can blend in, avoid any patrols," He said thoughtfully.

"I live in Palumpolum," Hope added. "I can show you all the shortcuts."

"No side trips," I told him. We couldn't afford any stops at home.

Hope chuckled.

"No need. I don't think l'Cie are welcome at home."

"First we have to get out of here," James said, looking around. "We should get going."

I walked past him, leading the way.

"Hey guys," James said suddenly. "Anybody up for a round of I Spy?"

I snorted, only barely suppressing the laugh that had built up. "You want to play a game now?" I asked him, managing to keep a straight face.

"Why not? I'll go first. I Spy with my little eye, something beginning with 'R'."

I rolled my eyes, not intending to humor him, but Hope responded straight away.

"Rock?" He asked.

"Correct," James said, chuckling slightly.

I shook my head. "That wasn't very hard," I told him.

"Well there isn't much to choose from," He said, shrugging. "Your turn, Hope."

Hope took a moment to think. "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with... 'G'."

James made a very exaggerated expression of concentration.

"Girl?" he asked.

"What? No," Hope said, surprised at his guess.

"Gorgeous girl?" he asked immediately.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What?" he asked, his cheeks reddening. "It's I Spy."

"Gorgeous girl?"

He shrugged self-consciously.

"You try then," He said, folding his arms.

I was ready. Even though I had refused to join in their childish game, I was playing mentally, and there were only two things starting with 'G' that I could think of.

"Gunblade," It wasn't a guess, I stated it.

"Yes," Hope said.

"That was my next guess," James said quickly.

"You're turn, Light," Hope said.

"Something starting with 'S'," I said, spying a pair of PSICOM soldiers huddled around a large Pulse Dreadnought.

"Nice," James said, and we dispatched them quickly.

Hope approached the Dreadnought.

"What was PSICOM doing here?" he asked us.

"Probably thought we'd try and use a Pulse machine to escape," I explained.

"Maybe we should try it," Hope said, clambering onto the Dreadnought.

"Hope!" James warned, taking a few steps forward.

"Hey, you're gonna hurt yourself! Don't touch that!" I cautioned him.

"Listen to her, Hope. We don't know what that thing might do," James said.

"What if it works?" Hope said.

"Leave it!" I said loudly, but Hope had already activated it. The Dreadnought began to emit a loud electronic whir and it took a few steps forward, with Hope clinging to its back.

"Hope!" James yelled.

I sank into a half-crouch. "I told you to leave it."

"Wait!" Hope appeared on top of it, nestled in what appeared to be a small cockpit. "I think I got it," He said excitedly.

James sighed. "Just be careful not to accidentally crush us, okay," He called. "I don't think being a pancake would really suit me."

Hope piloted the Dreadnought towards a large, vertical bridge that was blocking our path. With a massive strike, the Dreadnought brought its metal arm forward, against the bridge, causing it to fall .

"At least it's good for something," James muttered to me, hurrying after Hope and the Dreadnought.

The Dreadnought did prove useful, mowing down several Pulse automata that populated the way forward, but when we came to a steep set of ledges descending several metres, Hope tried to manoeuvre the Dreadnought down, but the boy overreached his step, and the Dreadnought came crashing down.

"Nice landing," I said to Hope as he sat up.

"Yeah, you totally got it," James said sarcastically, a grin stretching across his face.

"I'd like to see you try it."

James interlocked his hands behind his head.

"I would, but I think that thing's out of commission, now," He said, looking at the Dreadnought.

"Let's keep moving," I ordered impatiently.

"Slow down a second, I'm still a little winded," Hope said, clutching his stomach.

"You're too soft," I told him. I didn't have time for any delays.

"Come on, Hope, shrug it off," James said bracingly, dragging him forward.

"I hope we find another one of those things," The boy said, jogging slightly to keep up with my long strides.

"I wouldn't count on it," James said.

"Yeah well-" Hope began, but he tripped, and fell sprawling onto the ground.

I stopped. We had come to a bridge spanning a large, foaming waterfall.

"This isn't working," I said.

"Huh?" Hope said, looking up at her.

"I mean, you're a liability," I said, unable to hold back my frustration. "You'll just slow me down."

"Light..." James said.

"No! This was supposed to be my mission. I can't do this my way if you two are with me."

I turned away from them, the anger rising. I needed to prove to them why they couldn't accompany me.

"I'm sorry, but I can't protect you when-"

It was instant. The pain in my chest crippled me, and I doubled over, my brand searing.

"You can't leave us here! You've got to take me with you!" Hope said.

"Enough!" I said, trying to suppress the building pain. "The whole world is against us. I can barely keep myself alive. Let alone some helpless kid!"

"Light?" James was standing behind me now. "Are you okay?"

I couldn't answer him. They _had_ to know.

"I don't have time to baby you," I said, falling to my knees. I felt James' hand grip my elbow, but I shrugged him off and turned to them.

"You want to get tough?" I asked, my voice rising. "Do it on your own!"

The pain peaked, and a blast of intricate pink light burst out from underneath me. James was knocked back.

"What's happening?" he yelled.

I leaped forward just as a giant figure appeared where I had been crouching moments ago. I got to my feet.

"This cannot be happening," I said, staring up at the figure. It looked like a machine, but humanoid, and strangely majestic. The figure drew a long, curved sword and advanced on Hope.

Hope...

"Look out!" I screamed, running forward as the figure slammed down with its blade.

I was just in time. My gunblade blocked the heavy blow, and the figure recoiled.

"What _is _that?" James asked. He was standing next to me, blades in hand.

I didn't respond. It was strange, the figure's appearance had been tied to the overwhelming despair that I had been keeping at bay, brought forward by the suicide mission I had embarked on, and now dragged Hope and James into.

Then it attacked. I expected it to target me, but instead, the figure aimed its next blow at Hope, who dived out of the way.

I struck, throwing myself at the figure, raining blows over its metallic skin, and as each attack hit, I had a strange feeling. In the midst of the fury I felt, something else enveloped me. It was another emotion, approval. Not my approval, but the _creature's_.

The creature launched another attack at Hope, but James dived forward, taking the brunt of the blow as he shoved Hope out of the way. I quickly used magic to heal the soldier, and the creature's approval increased. I could feel the connection getting stronger, and as I unleashed another flurry of attacks, the connection reached its zenith and I spoke.

The word was a reflex, uttered, not on command, but by instinct.

"Odin!"

The figure stopped its assault immediately and it turned to me, a gesture which I understood as surrender. Then it changed, its body moving and transforming into a white horse. I felt the connection envelop my body, then withdraw into the brand on my chest, stronger than before, and Odin vanished.

Fatigue overwhelmed me, and I sank to one knee.

"Lightning!" James cried, rushing over to me, Hope as well.

They crouched in front of me.

"Was that an Eidolon? Like l'Cie can summon?" Hope asked.

James just stared at me, I could see the concern on his face.

"Magic and mumbo-jumbo. I must've hit my head on that Purge train," I said darkly.

"Are you all right?" James asked.

I nodded and stood, the others following suit.

"Am I really in your way?" Hope asked quietly, hanging his head.

I thought back to the battle, how I had jumped to Hope's defence when Odin had attacked him.

I started walking.

"I'll do better! I'll try harder, I'll-" Hope began.

"Hope," I said, turning to him. "We'll toughen you up," I looked at James, who nodded.

"I'm sorry, about before," I told them.

"Come on, kid," James said, prodding the boy in the back to get him moving.

Beyond the bridge was a small clearing with little outcroppings of rock.

"We'll stop here," I said, noticing Hope's sagging posture.

Hope nodded gratefully and leant against the rock, breathing heavily.

"Sorry," He said before sitting down, his back resting against the rock.

"Don't sweat it," I told him. "I'll look around. You rest up."

"I'll come with you," James said, stepping forward.

"I'm just making sure it's all clear," I told him.

He shrugged. "I'll keep you company then," He said.

"You should stay with Hope," I told him, but if I was completely honest, I welcomed his company.

He laughed softly. "I don't think Hope needs much company."

I looked at the boy. He was asleep, his head lolling to the side.

"All right," I said, letting James fall in step beside me.

Several uneventful minutes passed, and I was able to really study my companion.

James looked about six-foot-one, and he had a handsome face, with high cheekbones which tapered to his chin. His cheeks and jaw were defined, and his PSICOM uniform revealed his musculature. I noticed a small scar on his chin. His hair was a very dark brown, almost black, and was long, though not as long as Snow's, and was very dishevelled. He also had thick stubble growing on his face.

"Tell me about yourself, Light," James suddenly asked.

I looked at him.

"There isn't much to tell."

"Well," he thought for a moment. "Why did you join the Guardian Corps?"

"I was good at it," I said simply. That was only partly true. Joining the Guardian Corps allowed me to protect Serah.

"What about your parents?" he asked.

"They died."

"So it was just you and Serah?"

I nodded.

"Must have been tough, having to take care of your sister all by yourself," James said.

I laughed at that. It was a short laugh, involuntary. "She didn't need much taking care of," I told him.

He nodded, smiling.

"Do you have any family?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He shook his head.

"My mother died giving birth to me, and my father passed a couple of years ago," He said solemnly.

"No siblings?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Must have been lonely."

He was silent for a moment.

"I never really thought of it as lonely. My father was a soldier, he was the reason I joined PSICOM in the first place." James smiled. "Who'd have thought their boss was a psycho?" he asked, grinning.

More time passed.

"How old are you?" James asked.

"I turned twenty-one a couple of days ago."

"Twenty-one, huh?"

I nodded. "Why, how old are you?"

"Twenty-three."

"And how old where you when you joined PSICOM?"

"My father trained me since I was a kid, but I joined the Academy at seventeen."

I nodded again, taking it all in.

A couple more minutes passed before curiosity got the better of me.

"James?" I asked.

"Mm?"

"How did you get that scar?" I nodded at the one on his chin.

To my surprise, he grinned sheepishly.

"I can't tell you that," He said.

My brow furrowed.

"Why not?"

"It's embarrassing."

"Why?"

"If you must know, I... slipped in the shower." He mumbled the last bit.

I tried to suppress a grin.

"I was really young, okay," He said defensively.

I nodded.

"Since I told you that," he said. "Will you tell me about your piercing?"

I felt the heat flood my face.

"You noticed?"

He grinned. "Of course."

My eyes narrowed. If he noticed, he had to have been looking at my stomach. Why such an area interested him was a mystery to me.

"Serah begged me to," I said simply.

"Why don't you take it out?" he asked.

I snorted. "Serah would always throw a fit if I took it out."

"Huh. The only thing that Lightning gets scared of," He said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, and resisted the temptation to elbow him.

A few more minutes passed.

"Do you think we can do it?" James asked, looking down at me.

I shrugged. "Who knows. But I'm not going to sit here and let my life be decided for me."

"Hear hear," He said half-heartedly.

"And Hope?" I asked.

"Hope will be fine. He's got us looking out for him," James said.

"Well, we should get back, make sure nothing has... eaten him or anything."

James chuckled. "Yeah, because we didn't check the perimeter three times now," he said playfully.

I looked up at him. Thinking back, we had progressed in the same circle thrice already.

"I think it's clear," He said.

I shook my head.

"Come on, let's get some sleep," I said, starting back to where Hope lay asleep.

"Hey, I Spy?" James asked.

I sighed. "'B,'" I said.

"Beautiful?" he guessed.

"Bonehead," I said, smiling.

"Hey!"

"You think I'm beautiful?" I asked him. The adjective sounded strange when used to describe me. I thought back to his earlier description. Gorgeous, he had said.

James shrugged. "I'm sure most guys would," He said, a red tinge appearing on his cheeks.

"They don't," I said, thinking about the lack of attention most of the males in Bodhum had failed to lavish upon me.

James grinned. "Maybe they're scared of you."

I looked at him sceptically.

"Your entire aura practically screams 'stay away if you want to live,'" Said James.

"You're not staying away," I observed.

The soldier shrugged again.

"That's because I was born without a self-preservation instinct," he joked.

I lapsed into silence. I knew I wasn't the most friendly person, mainly because I had never found the need to be close with anyone except Serah. I was independent, and loathed the idea of relying on someone else.

"Trusting others to get things done never works," I said finally.

James looked down at me.

"I trust you," he said.

Those words echoed in my head. James was having faith in me to lead us to our goal. It was one thing to not depend on anyone, but having someone depend on _me_ was something else entirely. I didn't know how this would end. I couldn't tell him that we would succeed. I could only try, and I knew that might not be enough.

"You shouldn't," I told him.

We entered the clearing. Hope was still where we had left him, fast asleep.

James leaned against the rock.

"I'll take first watch," He said.

I was about to argue, then thought better of it. James wasn't a helpless man, he was a soldier, like me, and perfectly capable of sentry duty.

I nodded and settled down, allowing my limbs to relax. I was suddenly aware of how exhausted I was.

My eyes drooped, silhouetting the statuesque soldier in a shadow. I wasn't worried. James would wake me if we were attacked.

An odd thought occurred to me, as I allowed sleep to take hold. In allowing James to guard us, I had trusted him. It was a jolting realisation, but as I drifted, I knew that if anybody was worthy of that trust, it was the soldier standing over me.

Protecting me.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

I watched Lightning lapse into unconsciousness, her breathing falling into slow, rhythmic motions.

Just as I had been when I had first seen her, I was captivated. The lines on her face disappeared when she slept, the pressure of our situation lifted, if only briefly. She _was_ beautiful; her pink hair fell neatly over her left shoulder, rising and falling with each breath. Her skin was pale, not quite pink, but not quite ivory either. It suited her, and was very attractive. My eyes slowly traced her bare legs, before I forced myself to focus on my task of keeping watch.

She was right, trusting others could be a fatal mistake, but I trusted her nonetheless. She was the only one I knew for certain I could count on if things turned bad.

Hope was sleeping soundly, and as my eyes swept back and forth, searching for any disturbances, I could hear the faint sound of his breathing. It was a soothing, monotonous sound.

As I surveyed my two companions, the stress overwhelmed me. Within twenty-four hours, I had turned my back on the only life I had ever known, disobeyed my master, been branded as a traitor to my world, and become a l'Cie whose only reward was to turn to crystal.

I suppressed the thought. It was no good worrying about events that were out of my control.

My thoughts strayed to a recent memory, a day that had been driven from my mind after everything that had happened.

_**Day Eight**_

_I walked with purpose, a destination clear in my mind. The large halls of the PSICOM headquarters in Eden looked threatening and intimidating when one first saw them, but after wondering these corridors for four years, they were just another part of the building._

_I was headed for the observation deck, which was two floors below ground. I needed to see for myself if the rumors were true._

_When I reached the observation chamber, I input the code into the keypad, and stepped inside._

_The observation chamber consisted of a large area, surrounded by glass walls. Overlooking the area was a smaller room that provided a view of the chamber. It was in this room that I found myself._

_It was filled with men in lab coats and other soldiers. They were all monitoring large computers that lined each wall, all analysing some part of the experiments occurring in the room below._

_I peered out the window and looked down into the chamber._

_There was a little boy, he was just sitting there, playing with a small toy in silence._

"_Is that him?" I asked the soldier beside. She was in charge of the group gathered in the room. Her name was Jihl Nabaat._

_Jihl nodded._

"_He's just a kid," I said, surprised._

"_He's a l'Cie now," Jihl said dispassionately._

_I looked at her._

"_Have we figured out his Focus?" I asked. Although I wasn't a part of the team who looked after this division, (I was the head of an elite assault unit based out of Eden) I tried to discern Jihl's intentions with the boy._

"_No, we think it may be something to do with the detection of Pulse artefacts, though."_

"_How do you know?" I asked._

"_He can sense Pulse equipment. You remember that scrap you brought from the Peaks a few weeks ago?" she asked me._

_I nodded._

"_It's down in archives now, but he knew it was there," she said._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I mean, he said he felt something strange, and asked if he could go downstairs. We followed him, and he went to the archives and started playing with the scrap." She smiled. "It was amazing."_

"_What are we going to do with him?" I asked her._

"_His father's here, he's taking him home tomorrow."_

"_Good," I said, thinking that a kid that young deserved a rest._

"_It is _not _good," Jihl retorted. "Think of what he could do with that power alone. The things he could find, the data we could collect..."_

I shook my head.

"_He's just a kid," I said again._

"_I know that," Jihl said, turning back to the window._

_I raised my eyebrows, but didn't get a chance to press the issue._

"_James, get up to the Training Facility immediately, we got a situation with a couple of your guys," a voice rang out from my earpiece._

"_Duty calls," I said to Jihl, sighing._

_She nodded her goodbye._

_I shook my head again and left the room._

Kids don't need this, I thought dully, looking down at Hope. I had no idea if the boy would be able to handle the situation. Sure, he'd been doing okay so far, but when we got to Eden, and things started to really heat up...

I looked down at Lightning again and felt my face soften. Her hair glinted softly in the moonlight, and her eyelids fluttered slightly. She was probably exhausted, and I felt a wave of pity at the strain this must be placing on her. I wouldn't wake her. I'd had plenty of sleepless nights during missions. What was one more?


	7. Nightlight

**NIGHTLIGHT**

* * *

The path to the Gapra Whitewood from the Vile Peaks was disguised by a long, dark tunnel set into the mountain on the farthest edge of the Peaks. It had taken us a few hours to reach it.

"This thing never ends," I complained to Lightning.

She shrugged. She had been annoyed with me earlier for not waking her last night. I hadn't made much of a case for myself either, only stammers of "you needed the rest." Fortunately, her sour mood had been short-lived. Even though she never said it, I knew she was grateful.

"We're nearly there," She replied, trudging on ahead.

We had been walking through this tunnel for an hour, and the novelty of being inside a mountain had worn off after the first five minutes.

"How you doing back there, Hope?" I called behind me. Hope had been lagging behind, barely speaking to save his breath for keeping pace.

"Fine," The boy panted.

"Are you still mad at me?" I asked Lightning after ten more minutes of walking.

"No," She said.

"Huh, well that's good."

"I had considered punching you for not waking me when it was my turn, but you looked like you would fall over any minute," She said.

I grunted. In truth, I was very tired. It was an effort just to keep up with Lightning's relentless pace. I doubted she would slow down, probably justifying her continuous march with a sly comment on how I had brought this on myself and that I had to deal with the consequences.

I was also hungry again. We had shared the last of the food I had salvaged from the cruiser for breakfast. Starvation was a rare occurrence in the military; hunger, however, was something that all soldiers were familiar with. So I let my stomach grumble and tried to dwell on more pleasant things, like the way Lightning had looked when she slept under my watchful gaze, or the way her hair was bobbing with every step, or the way her rear swayed when she walked.

I forced myself to look up before my hormones raged any further out of control. I quickly passed off my staring as a male thing. A natural lust that occurred when looking at any beautiful woman.

"We're here," Lightning said, dispelling the images of her undressing that had begun to form in my mind. I gratefully stepped around her, peering at the massive door that was the entrance to the Gapra Whitewood.

"Finally," I said as Hope came to stand beside me. "About time. It's been hours."

"It hasn't been that long," Lightning said. "About forty minutes, actually."

"Felt like hours," I grumbled under my breath.

Lightning lead the way through the triangular door, which slid open at our approach.

I swiftly followed.

The first thing most people see when they arrive in the Gapra Whitewood are the trees. Huge, magnificent trees with white leaves that hung all around. I had been to the Gapra Whitewood before on missions, and the sheer size of the trees never failed to shock me. They towered over me, blocking the sky and allowing no sunlight to penetrate the vegetation.

The forest floor was a dangerous wilderness inhabited by wildlife, so the Sanctum had built a long, winding pathway above called the Proto-ecology Belt. It was onto this pathway that we emerged.

I drew my rifle immediately, a by-product of the years of military training. I looked every which way, committing each visual to memory, and searching for any signs of life, both friendly and hostile.

Lightning was doing the same, and she crouched behind a drooping leaf that was three times her size. She quickly motioned for Hope to join us, and he came running over.

"I can't believe we made it," Hope said as I dashed over to the two of them.

A rumbling, grating sound echoed in the air, and we turned to see the giant door sliding closed.

"That'll slow down pursuit," Lightning said, satisfied.

"But aren't there troops on this side?" Hope asked.

"Probably," I supplied, again peering around in a sudden bout of suspicion.

"Then we can't relax just yet," The boy said determinedly.

"Right," Lightning said. "We press on. I'll take point. You watch our backs."

I nodded, falling into position between them.

"Actually," Hope said. "Why don't you let me take point?"

Lightning turned and the boy smiled nervously.

"Can you handle it?" she asked him.

He answered by running forward, taking the lead.

"It's not a question of can or can't," Hope said, repeating Lightning's words.

"Now you're learning," Lightning said with a smile.

I couldn't help noticing the difference that small expression made. She suddenly looked... friendly.

"All right, Hope," I said. "Keep your eyes front, and let Lightning and I watch behind us. Trust us to watch your back, and we'll trust you to watch the front."

Hope nodded, taking it in. "Got it."

Lightning smiled again as the boy started walking forward warily. I grinned at her, nodding satisfactorily, and she smiled back.

"He can handle it," I told her.

She nodded. "I know."

"We've got your back, Hope. You call the shots now," I called to him. He held up his arm, giving me a thumbs-up in response.

"Have you ever been here before?" I asked Lightning.

She shook her head, still turning every now and then to check behind us. "You?"

"Yeah, once. My team was called in to help with an animal escape."

I remembered it vividly. We were training nearby, over the expanse of water separating The Gapra Whitewood and Palumpolum when we got the call. There had been a malfunction with the animal enclosures, and several of them had rampaged through the forest. It had taken us the better part of three days to secure the animals and restore the enclosures.

"Your team?" Lightning asked.

I nodded. "I was put in command of an assault unit in Eden."

"Hey, guys?" Hope's voice floated back to us. "We've got a small problem."

I looked over at him, and saw the boy pointing at a platform ahead of us.

Occupying the platform was a Behemoth.

A sleeping Behemoth.

I held up my finger to my lips, indicating to Hope that he should be silent, then repeating the gesture at Lightning.

She raised her eyebrows at me and I pointed at the slumbering monster.

Lightning's eyes narrowed, and she whispered, "sneak past it."

I nodded, and passed the message onto Hope, who began to slowly edge his way around the massive creature.

Once Hope had safely reached the other side of the platform, I followed after him.

The Behemoth's slow breathing was like a roar, and each rise and fall of its chest convinced me that it was going to wake.

I skirted around the Behemoth, joining Hope on the other side, but not daring to make a sound.

I watched as Lightning repeated the process, following the same path that Hope and I had. It didn't take her as long as me to reach the next platform.

Once she had joined us, I let out a sigh of relief, which was followed by a deeper, louder sigh.

The Behemoth's eyes snapped open, and the three of us froze as the monster rose to its feet groggily, shaking its massive head from side to side.

Then it roared.

Lightning glared at me, and I gave her a quick, apologetic look before leaping into action.

I dodge an angry swipe from the Behemoth. It was still dazed, trying to clear the last remnants of sleep, and its blows were wide and inaccurate.

Beside me, Lightning slashed with her gunblade, leaving a long cut that spanned the Behemoth's side. I dodged another vicious swipe of its claws, and pivoted, my own blades swinging in a horizontal arc that severed the mighty appendage. A spray of blood splattered the path, and the Behemoth stumbled, roaring in agony. Hope threw several magic attacks at the Behemoth, which battered it back, forcing it ever closer to the edge of the platform.

I didn't miss a beat. I swung wildly, forcing the Behemoth to step backwards to avoid my blades. Behind me, Lightning rushed forward, leaping into the air and planting both feet onto the Behemoth's head and somersaulting back, landing lightly as the Behemoth's back legs left the platform.

I watched as it pawed at the ground, trying to heave itself back onto the platform, but with only one foreleg, and most of its weight off the platform, it fell. Slowly, horrifically, it slid from the platform, giving a mighty roar as it plummeted to the forest floor far below.

I stood there panting, before stepping over to the edge and peering below. The Behemoth lay in a splatter of blood, its three remaining limbs lying in odd positions.

"Sorry," I said to Lightning, who rolled her eyes at me.

"You all right, Hope?" I asked the boy, who was still standing in a combat stance.

He seemed to realize his position, and lowered his boomerang, nodding at me.

I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Shall we, then?" I asked, motioning for Hope to lead on.

"Yeah, right," He said, and started to walk ahead.

"You okay?" I asked Lightning after we had resumed our pace.

She snorted.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," I said to myself.

After another two hours of walking, we encountered a group of large, slug-like monsters. They hopped around us, trying to slam into us from above, but we easily defeated them.

I wiped off the slug guts that clung to my uniform. "Next time, I'm shooting them," I said to my two companions. I had used my blades for the duration of the battle.

Hope laughed, and Lightning smiled in spite of herself. They were both slug-free, having used ranged attacks to take down the slugs.

"You should have thought of that _before_ you sliced them up, James," Lightning said, obviously very amused.

"Yeah, well..." I trailed off, having nothing to retort with.

It was yet another hour before we reached an elevator. It was a large, square platform with a sliding mechanism on one side, and a thick handrail surrounding three sides.

"Lightning?" Hope asked suddenly. "Have you ever been here before? On duty, I mean."

"No, I haven't. This area's covered by the Woodlands Observation Battalion," She replied.

Hope looked at me.

I nodded. "Once."

"You scared?" Lightning asked the boy.

"Not really. I'm ready to fight if I have to," Hope said.

Lightning reached into her back pocket and withdrew a large folding knife. She held it out to Hope. "To keep you safe," she said.

Hope hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and took it from her.

"I'll want it back," Said Lightning, then she turned and stepped onto the elevator. I followed.

"Hey," Hope called.

He hadn't moved. He was examining the knife.

"I'm glad I followed you," He said, looking at us gratefully. "By myself, I would've had no chance."

I approached the Hope and knelt down in front of him.

"You know what, Hope?" I asked him. "I think you would've been just fine. You may not know it yet, but you're a tough kid," I told him.

He looked at me, surprised. Then he looked down at the knife and nodded once.

I smiled at him and stood, letting him move past me onto the elevator.

I stepped onto the elevator, and Lightning pressed the button. The platform jolted to life, and rapidly ascended, coming to stop at another pathway.

"Trust us to cover your tail," Lightning said, allowing Hope to take the lead. "Stay focused on moving forward."

We continued on, my eyes flicking left and right, trying to determine what was safe, and what wasn't.

Suddenly, a flash of movement caught my eye, and I pointed my rifle at it, my eyes narrowing.

Lightning hadn't missed my motion, and she pointed her own gun into the trees.

"Hope, on your left," I hissed at the boy. He immediately whirled around, searching for a hint of movement.

"It's in the trees," I said.

"Are you sure?" Hope asked, his boomerang raised above his head.

I nodded.

"See anything?" I asked.

They both shook their heads, but none of us dared to move.

"On the right!" Lightning suddenly shouted.

I had heard it too. The soft sound of leaves rustling behind us, on the right side of the platform.

I turned, only to see a massive shape that collided into me, knocking me down.

"James!" I heard Lightning yell.

I heard gunfire, and assumed Lightning was firing at the monster.

It was a Pantheron, one of the military's bioweapons, but this one was much larger than usual, almost twice the size of a normal Pantheron.

I had dropped my weapon when the creature had hit me, and raised my arms in defense. Its jaws were inches from my face, held at bay by my hands locked on its lower and upper jaws, and my legs tucked beneath its belly.

I felt white-hot pain grip my side as the Pantheron landed a swipe, leaving deep gashes. My companions attacks seemed to have no effect on it, obsessed as it was with its target: me.

I struggled in vain, pouring all my strength into stopping those long, sharp teeth from tearing me apart, and trying to avoid its wild swipes with its paws.

I dimly realized that the gunfire had stopped, and for one, panic-filled moment I thought that more of them had appeared, and were ripping my companions to shreds. I tried to look sideways, to see if Hope and Lightning were safe, my mind filled with images of their corpses, barely recognizable.

Then, just when I thought I could hold no more, a blade entered the Pantheron's head, and it dropped onto me like stone, its dead weight knocking all the breath out of me. I tried to push the giant beast off of me, but it was too big. I summoned the magic, and pushed with all my might, launching the Pantheron into the air where it flew over the edge of the platform.

I coughed and spluttered, taking huge gulps of air when a hand gripped mine. It was soft, smooth, a woman's hand. I blinked, my vision blurred from the blood in my eyes, and saw Lightning standing over me. She pulled me upright, and I stood, swaying slightly.

"Are you okay?" She asked me, concerned.

I smiled weakly.

"Yeah, take more than that to beat me," I said hoarsely, my attempt at bravado lessened by my rasping voice.

"James!" Hope ran up to me.

I grinned at him. "I'm okay, Hope," I told him, wincing when I tried to stand upright.

I was hunched over, my hand clutching the wound in my side where the Pantheron had clawed at me. It was bleeding, little drops of crimson falling to the ground.

"Move your hand," Hope commanded.

I obliged, and he placed his own hand over the wound, a look of concentration on his face.

I felt the magic envelop me, and when he removed his hand, the wound was gone, replaced by smooth skin.

"Thanks," I said, patting him on the shoulder.

Lightning was looking over the edge, where the corpse of the Pantheron was still visible.

"I didn't know they made 'em that big," She said, looking at me.

"Me neither," I told her. "Doesn't matter, though. We need to keep going."

They both nodded, and we fell into position and moved up the path.

We encountered more bioweapons, but after our battle with the giant Pantheron, the smaller creatures were tame compared to that.

Hope suddenly looked up.

"What is it?" Lightning asked.

"We need to hide!" he said, hurrying into the shadow of the trees. I pulled Lightning along, grabbing her hand and following Hope.

I could hear it now, the faint hum of hovercycles. I looked at the three hovercycles as they flew above us, and held my breath until they passed us.

"They don't seem like they're even looking for us," Hope said. "I mean, we're l'Cie and we're on the loose."

I nodded. It _was_ odd. This place should be crawling with soldiers, all hunting for us.

"PSICOM's keeping it all under wraps," Lightning responded. "They don't want their failure publicized."

"They need to save face," I said. "Better to lose us than lose their pride."

"So the other soldiers don't know about us. Right?" Hope asked me, folding his arms.

Lightning nodded thoughtfully. "Right. They don't know _anything_ about any fugitives."

"That's good,then," I told her as we stepped onto another elevator and descended to another platform. "Means they won't know we're heading to Palumpolum."

We came across another group of bioweapons.

"Never panic," Lightning said. "Calm heads make good decision."

A little ways ahead, at the end of the path, we came to a glowing structure.

"That's one of the bulkhead fal'Cie. Stay on guard," Lightning said.

We stopped in front of it, and Hope sat down, breathing heavily.

"I wonder how the others are doing," He said.

"Sazh and Vanille?" Lightning asked. "Who knows?"

"I hope they're all right," I said.

"Even if they got away, they'll get caught eventually." Lightning said, pacing back and forth. "Then they'll have to choose: resist or surrender." She placed her hands on her hips.

"Surrender..." Hope repeated. "Do you think _he's _still alive?" he asked.

"You mean Snow?" I asked.

"He's too stubborn to die," Lightning said. "And that's his best quality. He's arrogant and chummy from the get-go. He thinks he's everybody's pal. Never liked him much." She said scornfully. "He leads around a bunch of kids – gang called 'NORA'."

"Where'd they get the name 'Nora?'" Hopes asked.

"It's a stupid acronym," Lightning said. "Their little code."

"It stands for 'No Obligations, Rules, or Authority,'" I told the boy.

"Must be nice," Lightning said.

"It's irresponsible," Hope said, his eyes glued to his shoes.

Suddenly, the center of the fal'Cie opened to reveal a glowing blue portal. It was obviously a gate of some kind, and we stepped through, appearing on the other side where the pathway led to another elevator.

The elevator descended to the forest floor, where we entered one of the wildlife pens.

"These aren't like the bioweapons," I said. "They're much more dangerous."

"This is an army facility for turning wildlife into weapons," Lightning explained.

"Civilians aren't allowed in here, are they?" Hope asked.

"We'll have to be sure to tell them if we see any," Lightning said.

I smiled to myself.

"See that gate?" I said, pointing at a fence of yellow beams separating each enclosure. "They're equipped with a biorhythmic monitoring system. They can detect any wildlife within the enclosure. When there are no animals, the gates deactivate."

"So we have to get rid of all our pen-mates to keep going?" Hope asked.

I nodded.

We progressed through each enclosure, eliminating any feral creatures that barred our way so the fences would power down. It wasn't a difficult process, only time-consuming.

An alarm sounded throughout the enclosures.

"We've tripped the security alarm," Lightning said. "The Observation Battalion will be coming."

"Great," I said wearily. "It'll be a party."

"Let them come," Hope said indifferently.

I looked at him.

"The Observation Battalion is a well-equipped force, Hope," I said. "We can't underestimate them."

He nodded and walked on.

I exchanged a glance with Lightning at Hope's new attitude.

We came to the end of the enclosures in our section, where the next section was barred by a wall that surrounded the entire site. I looked up at the elevated platform above us.

"We can reach the next section from there," I said, pointing upwards.

"How do we get up there?"

I shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet. Just give me a minute." 

"We can climb this."

Lightning's voice came from the base of one of the trees, where a series of leaves and branches formed a crude stairway to the platform.

"Good thinking," I said, clambering up onto the platform.

Hope led the way to a large platform, where he stopped, his hands on his knees. Night had fallen, though the trees where grouped so close together that it hardly made a difference, but all three of us were exhausted.

"We'll rest here for the night," Lightning said.

Hope sat down and pulled out Lightning's knife, opening it repeatedly.

"What's eating you?" Lightning asked, noticing the resigned look on Hope's face. The boy didn't answer.

"Okay, I can tell you're hung up on something," Lightning pressed him.

"Yeah, Hope, what's wrong?" I asked, sitting down next to him.

"Is it the l'Cie thing?" Lightning guessed.

"Hope?" I asked.

"It's Snow, isn't it?" Lightning said, turning to him.

Hope looked up, but didn't say anything.

"What happened with him?" I asked the boy, remembering his strange behavior back in Lake Bresha.

"You wouldn't understand," Hope said.

"Lightning crouched down in front of him.

"We're a team, Hope," She reminded him.

He looked up at her, then at me, and I nodded.

Hope sighed. "My mother was killed," He began. "Because of him." He started gently hitting the ground with the hilt of Lightning's knife.

Images flashed through my mind: An exploding platform. A woman falling to her death as Snow lost his grip on her hand. A boy up on another platform looking on.

It was Hope.

"I was there," I said quietly.

Hope's head snapped to me.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I saw it. I saw Snow, and your mother."

Lightning was looking from me to Hope.

"It's his fault," Hope said. "And he needs to pay for it." He held the knife up in front of him. "I'm not ready yet, but I will be. Soon." He flicked the knife closed.

Hope stood up. "That's why I followed you," he took a few steps forward and Lightning stood. I did too, not taking my eyes away from Hope's back.

"Snow dragged us all into this. James and me, you and your sister Serah... he's gotta pay." Hope said, lying down.

He stared up at the trees, and I pulled Lightning off to the side.

"Do you think he could..." I began, but I couldn't finish.

Lightning didn't answer immediately. She just stared at Hope.

"I don't know. He has reason enough for revenge."

I sighed. It was a conundrum, all right. Hope was out for blood. Snow's blood. He blamed him for the death of his mother, for letting her fall.

"Let's make sure this place is secure," I said, leading the way around the surrounding paths, and peering into the trees for any hostile movement.

We returned to the platform. Hope was sleeping, curled into a ball.

"James?" Light began.

"Yeah?" I looked down at her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked me, sitting down.

I sat down next to her.

"Doing what?"

She waved her arm.

"Fighting."

"Would you rather I ran?" I asked her, smiling slightly.

"Why don't you? You know just as well as I do that this will probably be a suicide mission."

I shrugged. "I'm a soldier, Light. All I've ever known is the military. All I've ever done is fight."

She nodded knowingly.

"Don't you have anyone back home?" she asked, lying down, her arms behind her head.

I smiled and moved onto my side, propping my head up on my elbow.

"You mean, a woman?"

I saw the red tinge creep into her cheeks and she nodded.

I shook my head. "Do you?"

She almost laughed.

"Between the Guardian Corps and looking after Serah, I didn't have much time for boys," She said.

"I know what you mean," I said.

We lay in silence for a few minutes before I asked my next question.

"What do you have against Snow?"

Lightning narrowed her eyes at me.

"Besides the fact that he wants to marry my sister?" 

"Besides that," I said.

"He's too friendly. He's annoying, and he thinks he's the Maker's gift to Cocoon," She said.

"I'm friendly," I said defensively, suddenly worried about how she might consider me.

"Not like he is, though." She said. "There's friendly, and then there's Snow."

I chuckled. "What does Serah think about your opinion of her boyfriend?" I asked.

She went quiet.

"Sorry," I said, realizing my mistake.

She shook her head.

"It's okay. Serah hates me for it," Lightning said sourly.

"She doesn't hate you," I said immediately.

"No, but _she _thinks he's a hero."

"He's her hero," I said. "That's why she loves him."

Lightning glared at me.

"I tried to stop it, you know," She said. "When Serah introduce him, I told him to stay away from her."

"I guess that didn't work so well."

She shook her head. "He just laughed, as if I was joking."

I could imagine the scene in my head.

"Enough about Snow, then," I said. "What was it like being in the Guardian Corps?"

She though for a moment.

"I liked it. It was something I was good at. I joined up right after I finished High School, and it was the best choice I ever made."

I nodded, enjoying the light that danced in her eyes when she reminisced about good memories.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She suddenly asked.

I looked away. I had been staring at her, probably for over a minute, and probably with a stupid expression on my face. I mentally slapped myself.

"Nothing," I said quickly.

I let a few more minutes pass between us.

"Why did you join PSICOM?" Lightning asked.

"Why not?" I said, shrugging. "It was good, enjoyable. I graduated top-of-my-class at the Academy, and they put me in charge of an elite unit."

"And it never bothered you that you were killing people?" she asked, a frown on her face.

"It always bothered me." I said quietly. "I've killed a lot of people, Lightning. Most of them deserved it. You have to understand that PSICOM is ruthless. They are brutal, and they are merciless. Their entire operations are based on the fact that sacrifice is necessary for Cocoon to prosper."

She contemplated me for a moment.

"I told you before, I was raised to believe that PSICOM was the only thing standing between Cocoon and destruction. To me, what we did was right."

More time passed as we were lost in our own thoughts.

"Do you regret it?" Lightning asked.

I didn't answer immediately.

"Sometimes."

More time passed.

"What will you do after all this is over?" I asked her.

She shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. We can't escape this." She pointed to her chest.

I raised my eyebrows, not understanding.

She sighed and pulled open the top of her vest, revealing the top of her brand.

I blushed, and nodded.

"We need to defeat the Sanctum first," She said, looking up at the cacophony of trees. "_If_ we defeat them."

"Light," I said, and she looked at me. "We will."

"How do you know?" she asked.

I smiled at her. "It's like you said, we're a team. I'll keep you safe."

She glared at me.

"Like I need help with that," She said.

"You might not," I conceded. "But that's my point. I'll try all the same."

She looked at me, her expression unreadable.

I stood up.

"I'll take first watch," I said.

She stood up as well, shaking her head.

"No way, not after last night."

I laughed. "I promise I'll wake you," I told her.

Her eyes narrowed.

"You better," She said.

I held up my hand.

"I promise," I said.

I watched her lie back down, and, just as I had last night, found myself in the midst of confusing emotions.

I did trust her, and we were growing closer, and I meant what I had said. I _would_ look out for her, even if she didn't need me too. There was a part of me that worried about her. It was more than the bond of a team.

I looked down at her. She was asleep now, and I was content to watch her sleep.

After a few hours of constant alertness, and glancing back at Lightning's sleeping figure, I woke her.

"Happy?" I said, after I had roused her from her sleep.

She nodded, instantly alert.

"You sleep now, okay," She told me, motioning for me to lie down.

I nodded.

"If I wake up to find myself Behemoth-chow, I'm blaming you," I said playfully.

She smiled. "Sounds fair."

I nodded and lay down, taking one last look at her beautiful frame before drifting into unconsciousness.


	8. Nature of the Beast

**NATURE OF THE BEAST**

* * *

"Come on," Lightning said the next morning.

I rubbed my eyes. The few hours of sleep hadn't been enough to ease my aching limbs.

"I'll take the lead," She told us.

We fell into formation, with Lightning leading, and me watching the rear.

"James?" Hope began from beside me.

I looked down at him.

"You agree with me, don't you?" He asked. "You saw what happened... you know that it was Snow's fault that she's..."

I paused.

"I don't know, Hope. I just don't know," I said vaguely.

Hope didn't press the subject.

This site of enclosures wasn't as big as the last, and we had to climb up to another platform to keep going, but our path was blocked by a tree branch.

Lightning contemplated the obstacle for a moment before drawing her gunblade. She brought it down, severing the branch where it fell over the side of the platform and crashed into the forest floor below.

"Could I use one of those?" Hope asked, indicating the gunblade.

Lightning looked at him and sheathed her blade.

"Bit too heavy for you," She said.

Hope sighed and pulled out Lightning's knife.

"Okay."

She lead the way forward, and I paced myself beside her.

"What's with the knife?" I asked her.

She looked at me.

"Serah gave it to me," She said.

_**Day Twelve**_

_Lightning sat down, a frown on her face. She ignored the table covered with food, and addressed the two people standing before her._

"_You became a l'Cie, so now you're gonna marry this idiot?" she asked Serah. "And you think I'm gonna buy that? Full points for originality."_

_Serah hung her head, but Snow stood his ground._

"_But don't forget," Lightning said, standing up, "If you really are a l'Cie, it's my job to deal with you."_

"_Sis..." Serah gasped softly._

_Lightning shook her head._

"_This is ridiculous. Worst birthday ever," She said, crossing her arms._

_Serah broke into tears and ran from the room, and from the sister who wouldn't believe her tale._

"_Wait! Serah!" Snow called after her._

_He turned on Lightning._

"_Why won't you believe her?" he asked loudly._

"_You kidding me?" Lightning said incredulously, turning to Snow. "She gets made a l'Cie, and you pop the question?"_

"_Lightning, stop it!" Snow cried._

_But Lightning had had enough. "No, you stop it!" she shouted, slamming her palms onto the table. A few dishes clattered to the floor. "Get out of my house!"_

"_You're shutting her out. She's your sister!" Snow yelled back._

_Lightning stood upright and turned away from Snow, her arms crossed._

"_Fine," Snow said. "I'll do it. I'll protect her." Without another word, he walked off._

_It wasn't until an hour later that Lightning noticed the box on the table, wrapped in a pink bow. She opened it and lifted the gift within. It was a survival knife. She flipped the knife open._

"_How practical," Lightning murmured to herself._

_A steady beeping interrupted her thoughts. It was coming from the wall-mounted television._

"_We interrupt this program to bring you an urgent news bulletin," The newscaster said. "Late last night, officials confirmed the presence of a Pulse fal'Cie inside the city of Bodhum. Acting with fal'Cie Eden's approval, authorities declared a state of emergency."_

_Lightning wasn't listening anymore. She was remembering something she had seen earlier. A distinctive mark on Serah's left arm, hidden by a bandage._

"_The entire district will be quarantined in response to this crisis."_

_Lightning gasped._

"Serah. I should have listened to you," Lightning said to herself after telling her story.

I patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

"You did the best you could," I said.

"Did I?" Lightning said softly, questioning herself.

I nodded. I was tempted to embrace her, to show her that she didn't have to deal with her condemning thoughts alone, but such an act would probably be met with hostility.

"Lightning?" I said, letting her resume walking.

She looked at me.

"I've got your back."

* * *

"I think I'm getting the hang of fighting, thanks to you," Hope said, looking up at us after another battle.

"You're doing great, Hope," I told him, trying to keep his spirits up. He glowed at the compliment.

I winked at Light, and she shook her head.

"You're doing great too, Light," I said.

"Thanks, James," She replied sarcastically, and I beamed at her.

We continued on, following the path down to another set of enclosures, soon coming across a feral Behemoth locked in battle with three wild beasts. They were the base form of the Pantherons, and they were relentlessly attacking the Behemoth.

"Should we leave them be?" I asked Lightning, who nodded.

I started moving, giving the two forces a wide berth, but a cry of "Hope, no!" caught my attention.

Hope was dashing towards the Behemoth, sending several waves of magic at the beasts.

"Damn it!" I said, hurrying to join him before he became a meal.

"I rushed in, dealing damage to both opposing forces. They mostly ignored us, focused as they were upon each other, but it didn't take long for the Behemoth to defeat the three Silver Lobos, and the Behemoth turned to us.

Lightning rushed in, slashing wildly, leaving a series of shallow cuts all over the Behemoth's side. I leaped in, only to retreat as a mighty paw swiped at me. Hope stayed back, using magic to overwhelm the Behemoth, and it staggered back as a fireball collided with its head.

Lightning ran forwards, leaping up and impaling her blade into the Behemoth's head. She flipped away, avoiding the spray of blood.

"Hope!" I roared, rounding on the boy. "Why did you do that? You could see that they weren't going to attack us!"

Hope hung his head, but my anger was not abated so easily.

"You want to be stronger, I understand that, but throwing yourself into every battle is _not_ the way to go about it!"

I turned to Lightning, and she spoke to Hope.

"You need to be aware of what the enemy is doing. A good leader avoids battle," She said. She didn't yell, but she was forceful, commanding.

Hope nodded slowly, and I half-expected him to cry, but he was made of sterner stuff.

I walked up to him.

"Listen. Every fight is a risk. You never know which battle will be the last, do you understand? Any one of us could have died."

"Sorry," he muttered. "I just thought... you're already tough, you don't need to work as hard as I do, and if I don't fight, how am I going to learn?"

My voice softened. Hope had a good point, but I knew better.

"Hope, we're teaching you. Light and I have years of experience. Trust us, and you _will_ learn."

He nodded again. "Okay."

I smiled at him, hoping he understand that I wasn't angry anymore.

"Let's keep going," I said, turning to Lightning, who nodded and led the way.

We left the enclosure and ascended to the pathway again, coming to another elevator which took us up.

"Wait," Lightning called from ahead.

We had come to a platform, and strewn about the platform were corpses.

"What happened here?" Hope asked as I bent to examine one of the bodies. They were soldiers, probably Observation Battalion.

"Bad luck," Lightning said. "They came looking for us and found something worse."

I looked around. Whatever attacked the soldiers could still be here.

"We can't just leave them like this!" Hope cried, hurrying over to one of the bodies. Lightning threw out her arm and stopped him.

"Don't touch anything!" she said, throwing him back. "Control your emotions. If you want to survive, you forget about sympathy."

Hope looked up at her, and I stood.

"How can I explain?" Lightning said, turning away from us. She thought for a moment before turning back and crouching in front of Hope.

"Think of it like a strategy," She said. "Focus on your ultimate goal and shut out everything else."

Hope nodded.

"Still your mind. Move on instinct," Lightning continued, standing up. "Let doubt take over, and despair will cripple you."

Hope stood.

"Strategy. Good. I'll take anything that can help me get through this," He said calmly, walking forward. "I'll call it 'Operation Nora'."

"NORA?" Lightning asked.

"My mother's name," The boy said.

"Your revenge?" Lightning asked.

"Yes," He said. "Don't tell me. I know getting revenge on him won't... bring her back."

Hope spun around.

"I know that!" he said loudly. "But 'sorry' won't cut it."

"Hope," I said. "Snow didn't kill your mother. The Sanctum did."

"Whose side are you on?" he cried, turning to me.

"The side of truth!" Lightning answered for me.

Hope faltered, and pulled out Lightning's knife.

"Fine," He said. "I'll fight the Sanctum with you. I'll learn to survive." He flipped the knife open, then closed it and walked on.

I followed, and Lightning led us onto a large, oval-shaped elevator.

We ascended several floors, until we reached a short pathway that lead to a door. It was clearly the exit to the Gapra Whitewood.

I stepped forward, only to be greeted by a huge rumbling as an enormous creature landed in front of us, blocking our path.

The bioweapon looked like a giant turtle, with a plant for a shell.

The three of us settled into a combat stance.

"This is it," Hope said. "Operation Nora!" He charged forward.

I recognized the bioweapon. It was an Aster Protoflorian. A bioweapon that dealt punishing physical attacks and elemental attacks. It was also able to shift its elemental properties, so any magic that we dealt had to be exact, otherwise it would just absorb the magic.

Lightning leaped forward, launching a flurry of attacks at it's flowery shell. Hope forsake his boomerang in favor of magic, and launching several damaging fireballs at its vulnerable shell.

I dashed forward, dodging the head that swung at me, and jumped up, landing on its neck. I ran along the length of its long neck, delivering a blow to its shell. The Protoflorian gave a mechanical roar and it shook its mighty body, throwing me off.

"Hope, look out!" Lightning shouted at the boy.

I got to my feet to see Hope knocked off his feet and sent sprawling to the edge of the platform.

I moved instinctively. I hurried forwards, my weapon forgotten, and dived over the edge, just managing to get a grip on Hope's hand before he fell out of reach.

Terrified eyes looked up at me, and I heaved the boy up, back to safety.

"You got him, James?" Lightning asked where she was still battling the Protoflorian.

"I got him!" I called back, collecting my blades and rejoining the battle.

Hope took two steps before he was hit with another attack. I whirled around to see him fly into the wall and collapse to the ground.

I tore my eyes away from him, praying that he was still alive; that the blow hadn't killed him.

Lightning and I renewed our attack on the Protoflorian with vicious anger. Bits of its shell floated to the ground around us.

The Protoflorian emitted a powerful wave of energy that swept us backwards, away from it. I landed on the ground, hard, but picked myself up. What I saw next made my blood run cold.

Lightning was pinned beneath one the Protoflorian's flat foot. It was pressing down, crushing her. Lightning struggled feebly, and I hurried forwards, slashing at the metal foot with my blades.

I may have been whacking the bioweapon with paper.

I knew Lightning didn't have much time, then the sickening crack of bones breaking rent the air.

"NO!" I roared, my battle-cry echoing around our arena. The Protoflorian lifted its foot from Lightning's still body.

Rage swept through me, and I ran, dodging between its flailing limbs.

I reached the shell and hacked madly, pushing through the unnaturally stiff petals.

I found myself inside the Protoflorian's shell, and at the base, in the center of it, was a glowing, pulsating energy core.

I lifted my blades over my head, then plunged them into the glowing core.

A wave of energy burst from it, threatening to unbalance me, but I braced myself against the raging wind.

Then the Protoflorian collapsed, and I jumped off, wrenching my blades out of the core and dropping down beside Lightning's body.

Her supple frame was pale, lifeless. Her limbs stretched around her in unnatural positions. I felt for a pulse, and relief rushed through me when I felt it.

But she was dying, and I had no means of reviving her.

I looked towards Hope, he was my only chance. If I could wake him, he could heal Lightning.

I dashed towards Hope, and shook his body.

"HOPE!" I screamed at him, but his head lolled around on his neck. "WAKE UP!"

It was no use. I couldn't do it. I had no healing magic, that was Hope and Lightning's area. I was destined to face the Sanctum alone, my friends – for that's what they were now – dead.

I knew I couldn't go on. Hope, only fourteen, would die here. He would never become strong enough to face Snow and exact his revenge.

Lightning, so beautiful, so inspirational. I had followed her, trusted her to be there at the end of this journey.

Tears filled my eyes as I slowly walked back to Lightning's dying body. Even if Hope woke up, he wouldn't have time to heal her. I couldn't lose her, not now.

I sunk to my knees beside Lightning, a hand involuntarily reaching towards her, a single stroke of her face, one sweep of her pink hair. That was all I could muster before I reached for my blades.

I was tied to a destiny I couldn't escape. A destiny I would now face alone. Better to die here. Who cared that the Sanctum would prevail? What did it matter if Cocoon was destroyed? Over the past three days, I had met the strangest assortment of people.

We had been thrust into this situation, and we had done what we could. We had parted, and I had followed Lightning.

As I knelt there, resigned to the worst, I knew that I would follow her anywhere. She had a power in her. Feelings that had confused me to no end made sudden, magnificent – and terrible – sense.

I would follow Lightning to the edge of Cocoon.

Now I would follow her no more.

A voice spoke inside my brain. A commanding voice, cold and harsh, with no trace of compassion of emotion.

_Leave her._

_Leave them both._

_There is no room for compassion in a soldier's life._

_There deaths will sever any ties you have to weakness._

_Leave them, and be strong._

It was the soldier. The voice that been a sanctuary in all my years of PSICOM was now plaguing me.

I barely noticed the ground begin to shake as I fought a mental battle between the two halves of myself. Despair gripped me, and I knew where escape lay.

I reached for my blade, and pointed them at my chest. I couldn't leave them. I would follow Lightning one last time...

The sound pierced my ears. My brand burned on my shoulder, and I dropped my blades as pain stabbed me.

A glowing white light shone out from my position. It was a mark on the ground, decorated in the most intricate patterns. The light was blinding, but I couldn't shut my eyes.

Then it appeared. Salvation. Condemnation.

It was huge, a giant, mechanical man. It had a white mane surrounding a pointed head. Wide shoulders that lead to clawed hands, both gripping a deadly blade in each hand. Its waist was thin, and its legs were oddly shaped. Looking like animal legs, with inverted knees and elongated feet, the back of which was raised so that it stood on the balls of its clawed feet.

I felt the connection. The part of me it represented.

The man raised its blades, and bought them down towards Lightning's still, defenseless body.

It would remove the obstacles in my path. I knew this. I knew that it would make me stronger.

_Let it happen,_ said the soldier.

I couldn't.

My own blades were in my hands, and I jumped forward, placing myself in the path of its deadly swords.

Metal clanged on metal as I blocked its attack.

Then it turned on me.

I sank into a half-crouch, my teeth bared in a feral snarl.

"You want me?" I roared at it. "Come and get me!"

It charged, gracefully, swiftly.

I sidestepped the charge, spinning around and attacking with my blades.

Suddenly, in my anger, a new feeling erupted. Not mine, but the man's.

I attacked again, and felt the approval. I moved sideways, throwing out my palm and launching a huge torrent of wind at the mechanical man. The approval climbed higher.

I ran at it, striking with a frenzy of rage and hate. A frenzy borne of passion for my fallen friends, and the anger at this creature that thought it could dictate my life.

It was the soldier in me that I fought relentlessly, and I intended to win.

I let the magic flow through me, and they wind magic lifted the blades into the air, where they formed a whirlwind of spinning steel.

The creature was battered by the assault, and I felt the approval spike.

I screamed the word. It echoed around the arena, involuntary and unbidden.

"Amra!"

The creature roared, and it transformed, its mechanical body shifting.

A lion appeared before me, roaring wildly.

Then Amra disappeared.

My brand seared, and I felt all that rage, all that emotion, both mine and Amra's surge into the black mark.

The soldier was silent. It had surrendered.

Then I stumbled towards Hope.

I summoned the vast reserves of magic within me, and blasted a gust of wind into the boys face.

His eyes popped open.

"Hope," I said. I was exhausted.

"James?" He said, looking around. "What happened? Where's the bioweapon?"

"Gone. Hope, help Lightning."

I pointed at her body, and Hope scrambled over to her.

I staggered after him, collapsing by their sides as Hope worked his magic.

Lightning's eyes slowly slid open.

"What...?" She started, sitting up, but I didn't her the chance to speak.

I was overjoyed. Relief flooded my system, stunning me into silence. I just pulled her towards me into a tight hug.

"James..." she said, surprised, and she pushed me away. "What happened?"

I could only look at her. It was amazing to me how close I had come to losing her. I appreciated the sound of her voice.

"The bioweapon is dead," I said, pointing at the sizzling remains of the Protoflorian. "Then an Eidolon appeared."

Hope's eyes were wide as I told them about Amra, how it had appeared when I couldn't revive Lightning, or wake up Hope.

"Sounds like Eidolons appear to a l'Cie when they lose all hope," Hope observed.

I shrugged. "It doesn't matter. You're okay," I said, looking at the both of them.

"Right, let's keep moving them." Hope said, standing up.

I helped Lightning to her feet, but she needed no aid. Hope's magic had restored her completely.

"I'll be glad when we get out of here," I said.

I followed Hope to the doorway, which slid open, revealing the edge of the Gapra Whitewood. The trees were thinner here, and the sky was clearly visible. There were mountains bordering the Gapra Whitewood, and beyond that I could hear the crashing of the ocean.

The pathway ended ahead of us, and a gap in the mountains led to a cliff. The three of us approached the edge. Water was lapping at the rock below us. In the distance, Palumpolum lay opposite us, on the other side of the channel.

"That's it," Hope said. "Palumpolum."

"That's where you live, right?" Lightning asked.

Hope looked longingly at the city.

"We'll stop in when we get there," Lightning said.

"Yeah, Hope," I said. "You can stop at home."

"No," Hope said. "We're l'Cie now, and no one's there but my dad."

"Hope... You need to let him know what happened," Lightning pressed.

Hope sighed.

"That's all well and good," I said. "But how do we _get_ there?"

Nobody answered me.

"We can't exactly swim that far, and I don't see any boats around," I continued. "There's a small island about twenty miles away. PSICOM set up a small base there. I trained there a couple of years ago. If we can make it to that island, chances are they'll have a cruiser or a boat we can commandeer."

"But how do we get to the island?" Hope asked.

I shrugged and looked at Lightning.

"Any suggestions?" I asked her.

She thought for moment.

"I got nothing," She said finally.

I sighed and interlocked my hands behind my head. "Great, so we're stranded on the wrong side of an ocean."

"The Eidolons!" Hope said suddenly.

We looked at him. "What about them?" I asked.

"We can use them to get across! It probably won't work in the long term, but it might be enough to get us to that island," he said, pacing now.

I looked at Lightning skeptically, waiting to hear how she thought the plan wouldn't work, but she was nodding in silent assent.

"Okay, that might work," Lightning said, stepping forward.

"Odin," She said loudly.

A bright pink light emanated from her, and the horse appeared, rearing in front of her.

She clambered on, then let Hope climb up behind her.

I shook my head, but summoned the magic.

"Amra," I commanded, stepping backwards when the mighty lion was summoned. I pulled myself onto its back.

"Um..." I said. "There's an island not far ahead of us, so... fly?"

I felt incredibly stupid, trying to talk to a lion, but the mechanical animal leaped into the air and flew; or rather, it ran in midair.

I heard a yelp behind me and whirled, expecting to see a falling body, but it was just Hope crying out when Odin took off.

I faced the front, and held on tightly, the island in sight. The PSICOM forces stationed there would be in for a major surprise when we arrived.


	9. Friend or Foe

**FRIEND OR FOE**

* * *

Amra soared over the waves, and the island that was our destination loomed ever closer. I leant forward, willing the Eidolon to go faster, and it responded to my silent command. Amra put on a burst of speed, and the waves were cut through by the lion's slipstream.

I could her Lightning and Hope riding Odin behind me, but I didn't dare look back. I was in the depths of my phobia, but the connection I shared with Amra lessened it, until the fear was just a pale, nagging feeling at the back of my mind.

The PSICOM base was a large, circular building topped by a shallow dome. It gleamed in the fading sunlight, and I could see the faint dots that were the PSICOM soldiers patrolling around the exterior of the base.

I sent Amra a mental message, ordering the Eidolon to land. It wouldn't be long now, another ten minutes and we would reach it.

I thought back to Amra's appearance, and the implications it carried with it. An Eidolon appears when a l'Cie has lost hope, and delivers the only thing that can save it: death. At the moment of Amra's appearance, I had been mourning the loss of Lightning.

My mind refused to piece together the puzzle that was my emotions, but I knew what it meant. I chanced a glance back at Lightning, her pink hair flapping around her face in the wind. My stomach did a back-flip.

I was pulled back to the presence as Amra began to descend. We had reached the island.

There were yells and frightened shouts from the soldiers who saw our approach. Amra landed on the bank of the island with a shuddering crunch as its paws hit the ground, its claws digging into the earth.

The lion roared as the PSICOM soldiers ran towards us, and I heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground as Odin sank to earth.

Amra swiped at the nearest soldier, sending him flying through the air. The soldier hit the ground, where he lay still.

I summoned Amra's blades, and spun them in rapid figure-eights, allowing the magic to consume me. A whirlwind formed, and crashed into the soldiers that surrounded us, dispelling them with ease.

I dismounted, and Amra vanished, returning to the connection that was sealed in my brand. Beside me, Lightning and Hope returned to solid ground, and the three of us prepared for the ensuing battle.

"We need to get inside!" I yelled to my companions as our weapons clashed with the soldiers, felling PSICOM's men left and right.

"How many are there?" Lightning shouted back as she cut a bloody swath through the soldiers and advanced to the big bulkhead door that was the entrance to the base.

"This base can hold thirty soldiers." I said after joining her by the entrance. The soldiers lay dead around us, no match for us l'Cie.

"Okay, listen up." I ordered, pulling the other two into a close huddle. "This base has three floors. On the top floor is the control room. That's where most of the soldiers will be. Below that is the living quarters. The bottom floor houses the armory and training room."

"Think we can catch them by surprise?" Lightning asked.

I shook my head. "They'll already know we're here. Chances are that they have a group standing on the other side of this door with their guns pointing at it."

Hope nodded, determination etched into his expression.

I turned to him.

"You ready?" I asked the boy.

Hope swallowed, and gave a quick jerk of his head.

"On three then."

I put my back to the wall beside the door, and Lightning mirrored my position on the opposite side, Hope standing next to her.

"One." I mouthed, holding up my finger.

This had to be a textbook perfect entry, otherwise we would be gunned down as soon as we opened the door.

"Two." I held up another finger.

Lightning tensed, and my fist clenched around the handle of my rifle.

"Three." I held up a third finger, and jammed the control panel next to me.

The door slid open, and Lightning and I pointed our rifles around the door frame, blind-firing at any unseen enemies.

Our shots were answered by gunfire, and the occasional sound of bullets thudding into soldiers. Lightning and I were protected by the doorway, and as soon as the gunfire ceased, I popped out of cover and stepped through the door.

The control room was comprised of a row of computers all lined against the circular wall. The seats were currently empty, due to the fact that ten soldiers had taken cover behind the tables and benches scattered around the room.

I fired, circle-strafing around the room until I was behind the soldiers. With Lightning on the opposite side, and Hope in the center, the soldiers had nowhere to hide.

Blood gushed from bullet holes, splattering against the floor and the different types of cover that hid the soldiers.

It couldn't have gone more smoothly. In two minutes, we had turned thirty soldiers into bullet-riddled corpses.

I blew the smoke from the muzzle of my rifle and holstered it, a grin stretching across my face.

"Hope," I said loudly. "Seal the door. Light, check the other floors."

The two l'Cie set to work immediately. Lightning marched towards the elevator at the back of the room, opposite the entrance, and Hope pushed the button that closed the door.

I sat down at one of the computer terminals, bringing up a screen that displayed the base's defense systems.

"Hope." I called the young boy over. "Sit down."

Hope took a seat next to me.

"This is the base's defense grid," I said, indicating the screen. "They've sent out an alarm to the Sanctum, so we-" I started pushing buttons - "need to revert the signal before it finishes the cycle."

Hope nodded, following the screen.

"That mean they won't come after us, right?" He asked, looking at me.

"That's right." I said, nodding.

"What next?" 

I looked at him.

"What do you think?" I asked, shifting my seat slightly so he could get closer to the terminal.

"You want my opinion?" He asked, surprised.

I smiled at him and nodded.

"Of course. How else are you going to learn?"

Hope thought for a moment.

"Next we need to find transport to Palumpolum." He said slowly. "But I didn't see any ships on our way in."

"Neither did I." I said, trying to remember if I saw any vehicles outside.

I started punching the keys.

"Here." I said, displaying a listing of the available vehicles. I quickly scanned the text.

"Damn it." I said. 

"What?" Hope asked anxiously.

"There are supposed to be two transport ships stationed here, but it looks like one was destroyed a few days ago during a training accident."

"And the other?"

"On patrol." I told the boy, turning away from the screen and leaning back in my chair, interlacing my fingers behind my head. "That means there's another group of soldiers on their way here, and they've got our only way out."

"Do you know how many?" Hope asked.

I shrugged. "I would guess eight, because that's the standard size of PSICOM units, but it could be more, or it could be less."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait." I said.

"Wait?" Hope said incredulously. "What about when they get here? What then?"

'What's going on?"

Lightning had returned. She was standing in the doorway that led to the stairs, her hands on her hips.

"We're gonna have company." I explained nonchalantly.

"How many?" She asked.

"I'd say about eight of them, but I could be wrong." I said.

"Then what's the problem?" Lightning asked, now addressing Hope directly.

"I was just wondering what we were going to do when eight armed soldiers burst through that door." Hope said, pointing to the entrance.

"We kill them." I said easily.

"Just like that?" The boy asked.

I nodded. "Sure. Give me a minute."

I turned back to the terminal and rapped my fingers across the keys.

"What are you doing?" Lightning asked. She had come to stand beside me, one hand resting on the back of my chair.

"I'm just re-routing the base's defense systems."

I hit a few more keys until a loud beeping sound emanated from the terminal.

I quickly backtracked, and the beeping stopped.

"What happened?" Lightning asked.

"Anti-tamper mechanism. Stops anyone without the proper authorization code from changing the system." I explained, sighing.

"Don't you know the code?" Hope asked.

I laughed weakly. "I _did_, but they've changed it."

"So now what?" asked Hope.

"We do it the old-fashioned way. Keep a lookout, and kill 'em quickly." I said.

Lightning placed a hand on my shoulder. It was an odd movement, one that I wouldn't have associated with her hard demeanor, but she gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"It'll have to do." She said. "I didn't find anything downstairs, either." Her hand left my shoulder as she said this.

"I guess we've got some time to kill." I said, standing up. "Come with me."

I led my two companions outside, until we were standing beneath the twin turrets mounted on the domed roof of the base.

"If I can get up there, we can set those up to fire at the patrol." I told them. "Light, give me a boost."

I placed my foot on her palms and climbed onto the roof, approaching the turrets.

"I thought you said it had an anti-tamper mechanism." Lightning called from below.

"It does, but that doesn't prevent anybody from re-routing the defenses _directly_." I answered.

There were two turrets on the roof. Their structure was exceedingly simple, just two cannons mounted on a rotating base, with a closed panel at the back for maintenance. It was this panel that I pried open and examined closely, recalling the weapons training program at the Academy.

I flicked a few switches and rearranged several wires until I reached the configuration I wanted. I had calibrated the turret so that it's friendly-fire safety was disabled, and heat-seeking was enabled. That way, the turret would no longer be able to distinguish the PSICOM soldiers from any other enemy. Also, turning on the heat-seeking system would ensure that minimal damage occurred to the ship itself.

I jumped back from the roof, and explained what I had done to Hope and Lightning.

"The terminal said that the patrol wouldn't be back until early morning," I said. "So I figure we make ourselves comfortable until then."

The other two nodded. I was a little surprised at Lightning's support, as it was usually her who lead the group. I guessed that my PSICOM experience was relevant in this situation, so she deferred the leadership to me without complaint. Whatever the reason, I was grateful. I had come to regard Lightning as a capable soldier and leader, and it meant something that she agreed to my plan.

I led the way back inside, then turned to Lightning.

"I think we should draw straws or Rock-Paper-Scissors for guard-duty tonight." I said to her. "After sleeping on dirt the last couple of days, a bed sounds like heaven."

Lightning raised her eyebrows, then held out her hand.

"Rock-Paper-Scissors, then." Said Lightning, a gleam in her eye.

I won, rock over scissors, so I would take the first shift. That would allow me to get some rest before morning.

I wasted a few hours sweeping the base from top-to-bottom. The second floor was just a series of small rooms that ran all along the circular wall. On the third floor, a short corridor connected the stairwell to the training room. It was quite large, with advanced simulator technology to allow maximum diversity when the soldiers trained. A thin catwalk lined the top of the training room, going all the way around the rectangular room. A single door led from the training room to the armory.

I stayed in the armory while Lightning stayed upstairs in case the patrol returned ahead of schedule.

The armory was decorated with an assortment of equipment. Pistols and rifles covered every wall, along with variously size gunblades and several sets of PSICOM armor.

It was late into the evening that Hope joined me.

"See anything you like?" I asked the boy as he swept the room, occasionally taking down some of the weapons that hung on the walls.

"I wish I could use one of these." Hope said.

I turned to see him holding one of the long, curved gunblades. He was barely able to lift it.

"Soldiers train for years to use weapons like that," I said, walking up to him. "Even the smaller ones-" I took down one of the shorter gunblades and twirled it in one hand. "-Require previous training."

"There aren't any normal swords." Hope observed, peering around at the walls. "Only gunblades."

"The military doesn't use conventional blade anymore. Gunblades are heavier, but they're more practical." I informed him.

I looked down at him. He was staring forlornly at the mass of weapons.

"It doesn't matter, though." I continued. He looked up at me. "None of these weapons can match Airwing." I nodded at Hope's boomerang.

"This?" Hope asked, lifting it. "This isn't anything special."

I shook my head.

"You may not have noticed, but you've been using that as a receptacle for your magic." I told him. "It's more powerful than any of these in that respect."

Hope smiled slightly and raised his weapon, holding it out in front of him so that it balanced in one hand. After a second, the boomerang was encased in a layer of ice. A moment later and the ice melted, only to be replaced by a blazing fire that covered the length of the weapon. That, too, fizzled out.

"See?" I said, grinning at him.

Hope returned the smile, slightly more cheerful, and I patted him on the back.

"Come on, let's see if Light needs any help." I said, following Hope upstairs to the control room.

"Anything?" I asked the woman who was standing over one of the terminals, her eyes glued to the radar it displayed.

Lightning looked up when we entered and shook her head.

"You should turn in," I said, approaching her and not failing to notice the shadows beneath her eyes. "I'll take over."

Lightning nodded.

"Actually," Hope interrupted, stepping forward. "Can I keep watch?"

Lightning and I looked at his scraggly, fourteen-year-old frame. His face eager and his hand on his weapon.

"All right," I conceded. "Just keep an eye on the radar and call us if anything beeps." I said, indicating the terminal screen.

Hope nodded, then took his place by the terminal, settling into a chair.

"After you." I said, waving my arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

Lightning sighed but led the way downstairs to the second floor.

Lightning entered the first room from the stairwell, and I followed her in.

"Are you sure he can handle it?" She asked me, sitting on the bed at the back of the room.

I sat down next to her.

"Sure," I said dismissively. "It's not hard."

She nodded, but made no move to lie down, or indicate that she was preparing for sleep.

"James?" She said, pausing for a minute before continuing.

I counted to five before deciding that she wasn't going to elaborate on her own.

"Yes?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing." She said finally.

"Are you worried?" I asked her.

She nodded once.

"So am I." I said. "But that's okay."

I laughed then.

"We're about to take on the Sanctum. Who wouldn't be?"

She smiled, though it looked more like a pained grimace.

"That's the spirit." I said, grinning. "I'm gonna check on Hope before I turn in, okay."

"All right." She looked at me expectantly.

"Right," I said hastily, getting the hint and standing up.

"Goodnight." She said, swinging her legs up onto the bed.

I paused in the doorway.

"Goodnight, Lightning." I whispered.

* * *

**HOPE**

* * *

I looked up as James entered the control room. He quickly glanced around the walls, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but there had been no odd occurrences since he had left.

"Everything okay?" The young soldier asked me.

I nodded. "Nothing to report." I said with a small grin.

"You need to wake Light in a few hours, okay." James said earnestly. "Then she'll take over and you can get some rest."

I nodded, absorbing his words.

Instead of leaving, however, James sat down in the chair next to me.

"Are you all right?" I asked him, concerned.

James nodded slowly.

"What was your mother like?" He asked suddenly.

I was taken aback by his surprising curiosity, but I cleared my throat.

"She was... everything a mother is supposed to be." I said softly, fighting the rising lump in my throat. "She was kind and compassionate, and fearless."

I looked up at him.

"Why do you ask?" 

His shoulders sagged slightly.

"I never knew my mother." He said quietly. "She died."

"I'm sorry." I said, feeling a little guilty about my obsession over my own mother's death when the man opposite me could never even claim to have the presence of a maternal figure.

James shrugged.

"It was a long time ago," he said. "But I wonder, sometimes, what my life would have been life if she had lived."

"Do you think you still would have joined PSICOM?" I asked him.

"Who knows?" He said. "My father signed up after my mother died, maybe _because_ she died. My entire childhood was spent training... and the lectures..." His face took on a far-away look. "The _constant lectures_ about the dangers of society and the Pulse threat, and how everything good on Cocoon was because of PSICOM..." He sighed, exhaling loudly.

"Where's your father?" I asked.

"Dead." James said monotonously.

"I'm sorry." I said again. "How long ago?" 

"It was only two years ago." He drew his rifle. "He made this." James said, indicating the rifle.

"He made it?"

James nodded and holstered it.

"He gave it to me for my twenty-first birthday." He said, a smile crossing his face.

I nodded, unsure of how to respond.

"Do you miss him?" I asked.

He looked up at me. "Do you miss your mother?" He asked.

I nodded, answering my own question.

We sat in silence for another minute before James stood.

"Don't forget to wake Lightning." He said, making for the stairwell.

"You really like her, don't you." I said. It wasn't a question. I had seen his expression when he looked at her.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his face flooding with color.

I shrugged. "It's hard to get to sleep when you're lying on rock." I said. "You two stayed up for an hour talking to each other last night."

"That doesn't mean anything, though." James said defensively, sitting down again.

"And your Eidolon," I continued. "I know the legends. An Eidolon appears when a l'Cie loses all hope. Amra appeared when you thought Lightning was dead."

He opened his mouth to retort, then closed it again, defeated. He knew that I spoke the truth. So did I.

He shrugged then, his humor returning.

"And if I do?" He said. "It doesn't matter. Lightning's not the type to get close to someone." He said it jokingly, lightly, but I could detect the hint of sorrow in his voice.

"You don't know that." I said. "Lightning is still a person. She has emotions... and feelings."

James' face looked suddenly downcast, and depressed.

"I'm not a good man, Hope." He said so quietly that I had to lean closer so that I could hear him. "I've done bad things... to people who probably didn't deserve it." 

"That doesn't make you a bad person, James." I said. I knew he was referring to his PSICOM missions. "You were under orders."

"I knew it was wrong." He pressed. "And I've never lost sleep over the lives I've taken... the futures I've destroyed." He buried his face in his hands. "I should have turned around and _defied_ orders."

"You did." I said, reasoning with him. "During the Purge, you did the right thing."

He shook his head. "One good deed isn't enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness." He said.

"You saved hundreds of lives during the Purge, James." I said. "And you saved me, and Lightning."

He lifted his head.

"I know you're a good man." I told him. "So does Light."

Finally, he nodded.

"It means a lot to hear you say that, Hope." He said, smiling slightly.

I smiled reassuringly.

"Now, not a word to Light about our... _discussion_." He said, getting up. "Now, I'm going to bed."

James turned and left, leaving me to my duty.

I smiled to myself as I turned back to the terminal screen. No matter what James said, I knew he had a good heart, and good intentions. I was also convinced that he had very personal feelings towards Lightning.

They suited each other. James' expressions after his defeat of Amra said it all. The fear that Lightning would die had been plain of his face, and the relief he had showed when he knew that she was safe. It extended beyond comradeship.

Lightning also seemed to reciprocate his unannounced feelings. The fleeting looks she gave him when she thought he wasn't looking made her face brighten, and her eyes glow.

It was interesting, the way James always managed to position himself close to her, no matter the situation. The way he would smile for hours after they shared a glance. The way Lightning would flush with embarrassment when James paid her an innocent compliment. Even the way they moved together in battle, working in perfect synchronization with each other.

I gave them my silent blessing, thinking that if anything _did_ happen, at least _one_ good thing would come of this mess.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

A face loomed over me, inches away from my own. It was a woman, a beautiful woman... a woman I recognized immediately.

I smiled at the magnificent dream I found myself in. Lightning was here, shouting my name as if her life depended on it.

"Lightning." I mumbled, reaching out to stroke her face with my hand.

She swatted my hand away as I brushed my fingertips against her skin. I blinked, confused.

"This is _my _dream, Light." I told her, patting the empty space in the bed beside me. "And you're wearing considerably more clothes than last time."

She blinked.

So did I.

This wasn't a dream.

I swallowed, my eyes wide.

"James! Wake up!" Lightning yelled.

I sat up, self-conscious and embarrassed.

"What's going on?" I asked groggily.

"The soldiers are here." She said, thrusting my rifle into my chest.

I took it and stood, wide awake and fully alert. The patrol boat had returned.

I leaped out of the bed immediately. Lightning was already racing out of the room and down the corridor towards the stairs. I had slept in my uniform so that I would be prepared for this eventuality.

I hurried after her, running up the stairs and into the control room where Hope was standing at the terminal.

Light flooded the room, and I knew that it was morning. The patrol was running late.

Hope was staring intently at the radar, which was beeping loudly, a red blip clearly visible on its screen.

I rushed over to Hope and checked the radar. The red blip was inching nearer to the center. Right now, it was about three-quarters of the way there.

"When did the beeping start?" I asked Light. Judging by the time, it had been her shift when the blip had appeared.

"About twenty minutes ago." She said.

I did some quick calculations in my head.

"That gives us about seven minutes to get ready." I said, taking command of the situation, as I had done so many times before.

"Light, go outside and see if you can spot them. You know how it is." I said, looking at her apologetically. I had to remind myself that she was a soldier, too. "Hope, come with me."

Lightning nodded and left, her gunblade already in hand.

What are we doing?" Hope asked as we jogged downstairs.

"We," I said, descending to the third floor, "are going to the armory to find some explosives."

"Oh, good idea."

We entered the armory and I strode purposely to the far wall. Several remote explosives were piled on a high bench. I handed a few to Hope then collected several in my arms.

"We're going to set a trap with these, right?" Hope asked as we head outside.

"That's right."

The sky had turned a royal blue, and there were no clouds in sight. The Gapra Channel was shimmering and still. Lightning was standing near the shore, peering over the waves into the distance where I could see the faint outline of a ship.

"Set them in a line along here." I said, indicating a point just before the shoreline.

I lay the explosives next to each, spacing them out so that the blast would cover a large area. I wasn't sure where exactly along the coast they would land, so I wanted to cover as much ground as possible.

"Five minutes!" Lightning called, retreating back into the base.

I quickly covered the explosives with sand and grabbed Hope, pulling him along after Lightning, where we stood by a different terminal. This screen displayed the base's security cameras, affording us a wide view of the exterior and the shore.

Then we waited.

The ship appeared on the screen. It was sleek in design, and was made to carry squads. Unfortunately, this meant that it wouldn't be very fast.

As I had expected, there were eight soldiers in the ship. Two were at the front, facing the bow with one soldier piloting the ship. The other six were sitting three-a-side in the rear of the ship, facing each other.

The soldiers exited the ship slowly. It was clear that the lack of a welcoming guard had unnerved them.

"Now?" Hope whispered to me. I held up my hand, waiting.

The soldiers stepped onto the shore.

I placed my finger over the detonator. This had to be timed just right.

One soldier stepped forward, his foot inches from an explosive.

I waited.

Then one of the soldiers threw his arm out, blocking the others path.

I saw them exchange words on the screen, and the first soldier bent down.

I grinned, and pushed the button.

The soldier exploded, blood and guts flying all over the shore and into the water. Two others were caught in the multiple blasts of the hidden mines, and the other five were thrown backwards.

"You didn't get them all!" Hope exclaimed, his eyes glued to the terminal.

The remaining soldiers got to their feet and, after a heated discussion, began to advance towards the base.

Hope turned to the entrance, but I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait." I said, still smiling.

The turrets would take care of the rest, as soon as they were in range.

The soldiers crossed the expanse between the shore and the base entrance, and I tensed, waiting for the gunfire that would spell the end of the short battle.

It didn't come.

I frowned.

"Something's not right." Lightning said suddenly. "We need to move."

I looked down at her.

Then the door began to slide open.

"We can take them." I said, turning to the door, ready for the unexpected, yet still uneven fight.

The first soldier entered the room, and what I saw caused a chill to run down my spine.

The rocket launcher was mounted on his shoulder, and the soldier crouched.

Suddenly it all made sense. The turrets malfunctioning, the soldiers coming prepared for enemies.

_There was still someone in the base._

"MOVE!" I shouted. Hope bolted for the stairs and launched himself through them as the soldier let loose.

There was a deafening bang, and a cloud of smoke trailed from behind the rocket that headed straight for us.

A hand curled around mine and I was pulled to the ground, Lightning piling on top of me as we took cover behind the terminal.

The rocket sailed over us, only to collide with the back wall.

"Get 'em!" One of the soldiers commanded.

I was stunned, rendered helpless by the plan that had backfired, a plan that was supposed to be a sure-thing.

Lightning was in no such state.

The woman jumped out of cover and waved her hand. A massive fireball rocked the control room, and the soldiers dived to the ground to avoid the blast.

Lightning's hand was still in mine, and she forced me up. I took one look at her determined expression.

I ran, following Lightning towards the stairwell. Hope was waiting for us, fear and courage both marring his young face.

"What now?" Hope asked, his breath coming fast.

"We can't go back in there, that rocket launcher will take us apart." I said, willing my jumbled brain to come up with a plan. "And there's more soldiers here!" I informed my two companions of my revelation.

Hope blanched, but Lightning had reached the same conclusion.

"James, I checked the whole base and found nothing." She said.

"I know that, but it explains everything: the turrets malfunctioning, the patrol team expecting us..."

I exhaled, and tried to clear my head.

"We need a plan." I said.

"What about the Eidolons?" Hope asked, his eyes lighting up.

I shook my head. "They'd be no use in a confined space like this."

I cursed.

"Think, damn it!" I ordered myself, hoping that I would be hit by brainwave.

I tried to analyze the situation.

"We can't go back upstairs." I said. "That rocket launcher will tear us apart. "And somewhere downstairs is another group of soldiers."

"We need to get to the armory." Lightning said. "We're too exposed here, and the Armory has only one entrance."

I nodded.

"All right." I agreed, and we hurried downstairs, passing the second floor and descending to the third.

We ran down the short corridor and burst into the training room.

Then we froze, inches past the doorway which slid closed behind us.

Our plan hadn't worked, it had been too obvious... to predictable.

PSICOM soldiers lined the catwalk that curled around the training room, their guns fixated on us.

I counted eight of them. Eight more soldiers that had eluded us through the night.

"James?"

I looked up at the soldier who had spoken. He lowered his weapon and tore off his helmet, revealing a handsome face and short, cropped black hair.

I breathed again as I recognized him.

"Aiden?" I exclaimed, not daring to move an inch in case the other soldiers took that as a cue to start firing.

"How long's it been, about six months, now?" I asked, as if we weren't in danger of being shot down by a surrounding force.

"Yeah, about." Aiden replied.

"You know him?" Lightning whispered to me, surprised.

I nodded.

"Aiden was part of my team in Eden before he was transferred six months ago." I told her, not bothering to keep my voice down.

"As a matter of fact, they transferred me to a new unit." Aiden said conversationally. "Covert underwater incursions." He spoke proudly. "There's a tunnel under the base that takes you to a small cavern that leads to the second floor."

"That's why we never found you, then." I said, putting together the puzzle. "But you never showed up on radar?"

Aiden shrugged. "The submarine we use has a stealth system that makes it undetectable."

"Aah."

"But why are you here?" Aiden began to ask, but then his eyes slid down to my shoulder.

"Oh no." He murmured quietly. "No, it can't be you."

I smiled apologetically.

"We knew there were l'Cie running around, but they never told us you were one of them." Aiden said helplessly.

"It wasn't exactly my choice, you know?" I said defensively.

Aiden raised his rifle.

"Hey!" I cried, lifting my hands up. "You can't just shoot me!"

"You're a Pulse l'Cie, James. I have to."

"Aiden, you know I would _never_ betray Cocoon!"

"What about the Purge, then?" Aiden asked. "We all heard about you going rogue."

"The Purge was a lie, Aiden! It was a massacre!" I said loudly.

"The Purge was necessary. Remember: Sacrifice is _necessary_ for Cocoon to survive, or have you forgotten that?"

"Damn it, Aiden, PSICOM is taking orders from a corrupt leader! Remember Mantra?"

Aiden hesitated.

"Mantra was a long time ago, James. We all did what we had to do, so did you."

"They were innocent, Aiden! And we shot 'em anyway, because those were our orders."

"And now these are my orders." Aiden said.

"_But you don't have to follow them, anymore_!" I yelled.

He paused, and for a second I thought he was going to lower his gun.

"Sacrifice is necessary, James." Aiden said, and I knew what had to happen.

"Then know that if you open fire, I'll be forced to kill you." I warned, a sudden surge of magic coursing through me.

Aiden sighed.

"Fire." My friend ordered, and the simultaneous sound of fingers on triggers filled the air.

But I was ready. A blast of wind pulsed from me, causing the bullets to ricochet off the wave of air.

Lightning and Hope had already started their attack. Flame enveloped around the room, smothering the catwalk in it's fiery splendor.

The door behind us slid open, and we dived through it as the fire filled the entire room. I could hear agonized screams as the door closed again, and I spared a single, regretful thought for Aiden. Then I focused on the situation.

"Now what?"

"The tunnel, on the second floor!" I shouted, already hurtling up the stairs, three at a time.

I followed the corridor all the way to the end, and came to a wall.

"How do we get to the cavern?" Hope asked.

Lightning began running her hands along the wall.

"Feel for a switch or something." She ordered, and we obliged, searching for the hidden door.

"Here!" Hope shouted, just as footsteps echoed on the stairwell. The patrol team was advancing, and closing in on us.

A portion of the wall slid down out of sight, revealing a flight of stairs that lead down into a stone cavern.

We stepped through the door, which slid closed just as I heard the blast of a rocket being fired from its chamber.

"That was close." I said, unable to hold back a weary laugh.

"Well, we're not out yet." Lightning said, leading the way down the stairs and into the cavern.

The cavern was small, with sheer rock walls and a pool in the center. Half-submerged in the water was a black, oval-shaped submarine. The front end was dominated by a glass screen that ended in a point, and the back end was completely black, with two fans that would propel it through the water. A set of metal stairs led to a hatch on the side of the submarine.

I followed Lightning and Hope towards the craft, where Lightning rotated the wheel on the door and pulled it open, revealing a dark interior with eight seats, similar in style to the patrol boat. Lightning made to take the pilot's seat, but I placed a hand on her arm.

"I'm driving." I said.

She narrowed her eyes, but stepped aside and allowed me to sit down.

I searched for the button that would start the fans, found it, and punched it.

The submarine whirred to life, and it began to rapidly descend in the water until it stopped at long passage. I assumed it led all the way to the shore and into the Gapra Channel.

"All set?" I asked, making sure my companions where ready for launch.

Two nods answered me, and I gunned the motor.

The submarine was fast. We flew through the water at incredible speed, navigating the long tunnel until it began to curve upwards.

"And coming up on our left is the fascinating sea life that inhabits these waters." I said, doing my best impression of a tour guide as we sailed out into the channel.

"I think we're safe." I said finally. There was a view-screen on the main hub that showed the surface of the water, and Lightning had her eyes glued to it.

She relaxed back into her seat, exhaling loudly.

"We're out of range now." She said, looking at me.

I grinned at her, and she smiled back. I was again struck by how beautiful she was. Rare sights like Lightning's smile were a wonder to behold, and I stared, my grin widening idiotically.

"James, _please_ watch where you're going." She said, waving her hand at the glass. Her face was a delightful shade of scarlet, now.

"Sorry." I apologized quickly, and turned to the water in front of me.

"Just keep heading that way, and we should reach Palumpolum in a few hours." Lightning said, pointing in the desired direction.

I nodded, still smiling.

I couldn't deny it anymore. No matter how much I tried to suppress them, my feelings for the woman beside had escalated to beyond simple lust. I had to face the truth: I _liked _Lightning.


	10. Sharing is Caring

**SHARING IS CARING**

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

We left the black submarine by the dock, and headed towards the port city of Palumpolum. The city was the commerce capital of Cocoon, and shops were everywhere. James, Hope and I crouched behind a large stack of wooden cargo boxes that were due to be loaded onto one of the departing ships, and made a quick plan.

"I need you to get me some clothes." James said, passing me a handful of gil.

I pocketed the money and looked at him.

"Where did you get this?" I asked suspiciously.

He shrugged.

"There was quite a bit at the base. Probably some poor soldiers change."

I rolled my eyes, but had to give him credit for taking the initiative to take the gil. He did stand out in his ripped PSICOM uniform. My eyes lingered on the brand that covered his shoulder, and slid down to his bare, muscular biceps – I forced myself to focus.

"You stay here, then." I ordered, heading towards the nearest shop which held a promising display of clothing.

Hope and I browsed the different selections thoroughly. In truth, any item of clothing would do – as long as it had sleeves to cover his brand – but I knew that James wouldn't appreciate a simple tee.

My eyes lighted on a black, long-sleeve, zip-up top with white primal decorations. I quickly grabbed it and took that, and a pair of light gray pants and black boots to the counter.

I paid the lady at the counter, and moved on before she could get a good look at me. We weren't sure if PSICOM had leaked our descriptions to the public yet.

I made my way back to the crates and handed the clothes to James.

"Not a bad choice." James said appreciatively, shrugging out of his uniform with unabashed boldness.

I quickly turned around, and heard James snigger.

"I'm not naked under these, you know." He said, and I heard the distinctive sound of his uniform hitting the floor.

I waited until the scuffling behind me had ceased, then I turned around.

"It's a good fit." James said, rolling his shoulders. The top fit him snugly, emphasizing his muscled chest and shoulders. He wore it with the collar up, and the zip partially down, revealing a high-cut white top underneath. "Thanks." He said. "I would've preferred a jacket, but this is much more practical."

I nodded as he strapped on his rifle holster to his back. There wasn't much we could do about that, but James could always just explain to any curious civilians that he was a soldier.

"Where to now?" Hope asked.

I looked up at the sky. The sun was just setting beneath the horizon, casting a red hue on the city.

"Hotel." James said. "All transport out of the city is closed after night falls, and we won't make it to a station in time."

I looked down at Hope, this was his home, after all.

"Where does your dad live?" I asked him, thinking that maybe we could spend the night there.

Hope shook his head.

"My house is too far from here; it's much farther north, but the closest hotel is that way." He pointed down the road leading west, where more shops and stalls were interspersed amongst the homes and other buildings.

"Lead on, then." James said, gesturing for Hope to go first.

Hope nodded and started down the road, James marching animatedly behind him. I followed silently, lost in my own thoughts.

I couldn't get the memory of this morning out of my head. Particularly when I woke James from his obviously deep sleep.

"This is _my_ dream, Light," he had said. "And you're wearing considerably more clothes than last time."

Those had been his words. He had clearly thought he was still dreaming, but what confounded me was that he had been dreaming of _me_.

I felt a strange sensation in my stomach as I expanded on that thought. It reminded me of the time I had felt during my recruitment test. I recalled the similar experience of butterflies I had then.

"Light?" 

The voice broke me out of my reverie. James was staring at me with a puzzled expression.

"You okay?" He asked.

I nodded.

"I'm fine." I said, trying to maintain the facades I was known for.

"Good, because we're here." He indicated the tall building to my right.

The building had a plain, simple style, yet it was polished and still looked very inviting.

Hope led the way through the doors and to the desk, where a short, portly man stood hunched over a leather-bound book.

He looked up as we approached, and I tensed, ready to silence him if he recognized us.

"How can I help you?" The man asked kindly, and I relaxed.

James took the lead.

"Hi there." He said in a friendly tone. "We need a room."

The man's face fell. "We're actually pretty booked up. Did you know that PSICOM's been crawling all over Palumpolum? A lot of people are booking trips out of the city."

"Really? What's going on?" James feigned interest and concern, and I felt a surge of pride at his acting skills.

"Word on the street is that there are l'Cie around." The man said, leaning closer and lowering his voice. "The soldier's have been searching for them since yesterday."

"Is that so?"

The man nodded impressively.

"So I'm afraid all we've got are a couple of doubles and one single at the moment."

James looked at me, and I nodded. We could have rented all three, but that would definitely attract too much attention, and the impression we gave was probably that of a family, and I knew the image would help.

"That's fine." James said, handing over several gil."

"Names?" The man asked, a pen quivering over a blank spot in the book which I recognized as the hotel's register.

"Aiden Mason." James said, not missing a beat. "And this is my wife, Jean, and our son, Van." He indicated Hope and me.

The man scribbled down the names and handed James a key-card.

"Room 307." The man said.

"Thanks." James said, taking it and shoving it in his pocket. "Let's go, honey." He said, grinning at me and holding out his hand.

I shook my head exasperatedly, but took his hand dutifully and let him lead us up the stairs to our room.

James opened the door for me with an exaggerated gesture, and I stepped over the threshold. It was, generally, a large room, with a king-sized bed in the corner with a door that led to the bathroom. A small couch was positioned next to the wall. All the furniture had been bolted down.

"This will have to do." I said, sitting on the end of the bed.

Hope took a seat on the couch, and stared around at the room, but James stood in the middle of the room, unmoving.

"James?" I asked, my brow creasing.

He peered down at me.

"We have a minor problem." He said, shifting his weight to another foot.

"Which is?" I asked, confused.

"Who sleeps where?" He asked, staring at the bed, then at the couch, then his gaze swept to the floor.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Hope interceded. "Neither of you can fit on the couch, so I'll have to take it."

A small smile played on James' lips, but only for moment.

"That depends." James said, looking at me.

I caught on immediately.

"I think I can handle sharing a bed with you for one night." I said. But my heart began to race in my chest, and the butterflies returned. I was afraid I would lose myself in the close proximity, but I agreed to the decision anyway. I didn't want to hurt his feelings by refusing, but I didn't want to reveal my own lurking emotions either.

James nodded, then went over to the large window next to the bed and looked out.

"I don't think any of us will have to keep watch tonight," he said, not turning away from the window. "PSICOM won't expect us to rent a room."

I nodded. "They'll probably assume we'll head into the city while it's dark."

"That's what I figure as well." James said. "But it's still early, maybe they have room service."

The hotel sent up several plates of food, most which were consumed by James. He seemed different since I first laid eyes on him, the cold, harsh soldier was all but gone from his personality. He had mastered his role, instead of allowing it to define him.

"Do you always eat like this?" Hope asked as James swallowed yet another healthy portion of the meal.

He swallowed and nodded.

"Pretty much, plus the fact that it's been a whole day since we last ate..." He tore a chunk from a piece of meat.

"I'm going to go shower." I said finally, heading for the bathroom. James stood up quickly, his head swinging from side to side.

"No way. I'm going first." He said, hurrying past me.

"Why?" I asked, grabbing his hand as it fell on the doorknob.

"Because," he said matter-of-factly, "women spend _hours_ in the shower."

I rolled my eyes, but relented, knowing that if I let him have his way, I would be able to spend much longer under the hot water. I _did_ plan of having a long, soothing shower after all.

But it was twenty minutes later that I heard the water stop running.

"Finally!" I cried, opening the door and barging through.

I stopped in the doorway, my hand still on the doorknob.

James was soaking wet.

And wearing absolutely nothing.

I stood there, gaping, at this man who suddenly appeared much more masculine than I remembered.

He had his back to me, and was in the process of wrapping a towel around his waist when I walked in.

James turned, saw me, and quickly fastened the towel.

I didn't move.

My eyes were taking in his body.

He was the embodiment of a soldier's physicality, with a muscular torso and defined stomach. His arms were large and toned, and they suited his figure. Scars crisscrossed his body, the many souvenirs of previous missions.

I could only stare.

"See anything you like?" He asked, smirking.

I blushed deeply, the heat rising to my cheeks, and turned away.

James chuckled, and quickly pulled on his new clothes.

"It's safe to turn around, now." He said humorously.

"My turn now?" I asked, trying not to look uncomfortable.

He nodded, still smiling, and left the room.

I stepped under the hot water and instantly felt relief as my muscles began the long, soothing process that a shower brought, but all I could think of was James.

I stripped off my white vest and boots, and clambered under the covers of the large bed, trying not to wake Hope who had already fallen asleep. James was already lying there, staring at me. He was dressed in the white tee I had seen him in earlier, and his pants.

"What?" I asked, my face reddening at his attention.

"Nothing." He said, smiling as if at some personal joke.

"Don't make this harder than it already is." I said, through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the mounting butterflies.

"Why is this hard?" He asked. "There's plenty of room."

I glared at him, but his innocent expression softened my own.

We lay in silence, the closeness between us was making my heart beat loudly, but as much as I tried to concentrate on other things, my thoughts always strayed to the man next to me.

"Are you comfortable?" James suddenly asked. "I can move over."

To my surprise, I found the idea repulsive, and shook my head. "No, I'm comfortable." I whispered.

He lapsed into silence, and I found myself recalling the first time I had seen him. He had looked threatening, professional... dangerous. Then he had surrendered, saying that he was on our side. It was amazing how much had changed. I remembered my conversation with Hope. Amra had appeared because James was afraid of the possibility that I might die, but James had told Hope the full story, and Hope had relayed it to me. Amra had not attacked James, the Eidolon had attacked me, and James had stopped it. He had saved my life.

I had loathed his decision to join me at first, but practicality made me accept that James would be helpful. Now, though, something else made me desire his company. I begrudgingly admitted that I might not be able to continue my mission without him.

"James?" I asked quietly.

The man turned to me, and was again reminded of how close we were, our faces were inches apart.

"What happened in Mantra?" I knew that Mantra was a small town near the rim of Cocoon.

James hesitated.

"What happened in Mantra was... extreme." He whispered. "About a year ago, we had reports of a group of rebels trying to usurp the PSICOM presence in the town. My team was sent in to eliminate them."

"You said they were innocent." I remembered his words to Aiden.

"They were. The soldiers there had been regularly looting the town for valuables. A few people decided it was time for the soldiers to leave."

"How did you find out?" I asked.

James sighed. "Aiden and I were captured by the rebels." He said. "They told us their side of the story, and I knew they were telling the truth. They asked us to go back and negotiate the soldiers departure from Mantra."

"And did you?"

James paused before continuing, and his eyes were full of pain and regret.

"They let us go... and we killed them."

"Just like that?" I asked, horrified.

He nodded. "Just like that."

"But they were innocent."

"Didn't matter. PSICOM doesn't need that kind of scandal on their hands: Soldiers stealing from the public."

"You could have negotiated." I whispered.

James shook his head.

"If we had tried, PSICOM would've killed us. Their view on traitors is pretty harsh."

I nodded.

"But you stopped the Purge," I said, trying to turn his sour mood.

He gave me a small smile.

"That I did."

I nudged him playfully with my elbow, and he nudged me back. My skin tingled at the contact.

"James?" I whispered.

"Yes?" He asked quietly, turning onto his side.

I was once again amazed by how much the white tee revealed. I felt a sudden urge to reach out and touch the muscles of his cordoned chest, desire for him to wrap those arms around me.

I cleared my mind. Such emotions were a weakness, I reminded myself. But they were there.

"Thank you." I said. "For coming with me."

He chuckled softly. "It was the best decision I ever made." He said.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

_**Day Five**_

_I stared at the headstone, my father's faded name etched onto it. I didn't cry. I never cried. All I could do was feel the pain and loss._

_The cemetery was empty, except for me. The last time I had come to visit my old man, Aiden had been with me. I could've used his company now._

"_Am I doing the right thing, Dad?" I asked quietly._

_Ever since Mantra, I had asked myself this question over and over again. I began to notice the two sides of me. Harsh and cold to my enemies, always professional, unquestioning of my orders, the perfect soldier; yet joyful and carefree when around my friends, when the pressure of a soldier's life didn't overwhelm me._

"_Hudson?" My earpiece suddenly crackled to life, and I answered immediately._

"_What is it?"_

"_There's been a spot of trouble down at Euride Gorge. We need you and your men to investigate."_

"_I'm on my way."_

_The conversation ended._

_I sighed._

"_Am I doing the right thing?"_

My eyes slid open slowly, the dream already fading from my memory.

The first thing I noticed was the slight weight on my body. Lightning was cured up in the bed, her head and torso resting gently on chest. I smiled to myself. It was impossible to think that it had only four days had passed. She was beautiful, even more so when she was asleep. I longed to embrace her, to feel her skin against mine. I subconsciously reached out, and stroked her hair.

Lightning's eyes fluttered open, and I quickly retracted my hand.

"Good morning." I said, smiling.

She smiled at me, then seemed to come to her senses. She frowned as she realized her position, and quickly propped herself up on her elbows.

"Morning." She said self-consciously.

"I'll assume you didn't mind sharing a bed with me, then?" I asked, chuckling as she blushed.

"That was... completely unintentional." She retorted.

"Admit it, you were comfortable." I pressed, barely able to keep a straight face.

"I... that's not... we're not talking about this." She said.

I grinned.

"Hope's still asleep." I said, looking at the snoring figure on the couch.

She glanced at the boy fondly.

I leaned back, my head resting on the pillow.

"What now?" I asked.

Lightning looked at me.

"Now we need to find a way to get to Eden."

"Then let's go." But I couldn't bring myself to rise.

Before Lightning could respond, there was a loud knock at the door.

"You order anything?" I asked her.

She shook her head and slid off the bed, retrieving her gunblade and nodding at me.

I strode to the door.

"Who is it?" I called.

"James?" I knew that voice.

I pulled the door open.

Aiden was standing in the doorway, grinning from ear to ear. He was alone.

"You're alive?" I asked him.

Aiden nodded, and made to step into the room, but I blocked his path.

"Light." I said.

Lightning moved to stand next to me, her eyes narrowing as she saw who it was.

"How did you survive?" I asked, my brow creasing.

Aiden shrugged. "You forget that PSICOM Elites have manadrives, James. I activated mine just before the fire hit me."

"And now you've come to finish the job?" I snarled, but Aiden shook his head wildly.

"No! I've come to warn you."

"Warn us about what?" I asked.

He glanced behind him.

"They've found you." He said, his voice suddenly rushed.

"Who?"

"PSICOM. They're on their way."

I looked at Lightning.

"We need to go." I said.

Lightning nodded and moved to Hope's side, who was still asleep. She shook him roughly awake.

"What-?" Hope asked groggily.

"PSICOM's coming, we're leaving."

Hope looked at her, then at me, then at Aiden.

"How much time do we have?" He asked, getting up and gathering his few belongings.

"Ten minutes at best." Aiden said. "I'll hold them off while you escape."

I didn't move.

"What changed your mind?" I asked, suddenly suspicious of a trap or ambush. Lightning was sliding open the window. Our room was at the back end of the hotel, and the window faced a tight alleyway that led to the street.

"You were right." He said, smiling slightly. "Screw duty."

I grinned. Aiden had always been torn between duty and his own moral code. Many of us who knew him wondered why he had joined PSICOM in the first place.

"All units, be advised," Aiden said commandingly into his earpiece. "The l'Cie are heading for the front door."

he turned to me.

"The street should be clear." He said.

I nodded.

Aiden waited impatiently for me to move.

"Go." He said, as if to question my stupidity.

"You're coming with us." I said, but I knew he couldn't. Aiden wasn't a l'Cie, he had no real stake in this fight. Not like we did.

Aiden knew this too.

"I can't, James." He said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I returned the gesture.

"Good luck." He said, then he gave a slight push towards the window.

"James, let's go!" Lightning called, her foot on the windowsill. Hope was nowhere in sight, he must have already jumped.

I turned, and she leaped, sailing down to the ground.

I gave Aiden one last look before my breath caught.

Aiden's body convulsed as bullets slammed into his back. Blood coated the room, and my friend fell to the ground, revealing the mass of soldiers behind him.

"No!" I yelled, but the soldiers turned their guns on me, and I jumped.

Lightning was already leading Hope down the alley towards the street. I hurried after them.

"They killed him!" I yelled as I reached them. "They killed Aiden!"

"What!" Hope cried.

"Run, they'll be after us soon!" Lightning ordered, breaking into a run.

"Which way is the station?" I asked Hope.

He took the lead.

"It's this way." He said, turning down another street that was adjacent to the docks.

We slipped into the crowd, hoping to put some distance between ourselves and the pursuing soldiers.

"You! Halt!" A shout echoed from behind us.

I glanced behind me to see a group of PSICOM soldier's running in our direction.

"Head to the docks." I ordered my two companions, my voice calm and professional. "I'll be right behind you."

Lightning and Hope turned towards the docks, which was interspersed with crates.

"Hey!" One of the soldier's shouted as Light and Hope disappeared around the corner.

I raised my rifle and fired three, short bursts. Blood spurted into the street, and the crowd broke.

Several people screamed as they registered the fallen soldiers, and the street was overcome by panicking people.

More soldiers appeared, and they started swatting people out of the way to get to me, but the crowd was too many, and they made slow progress.

I unleashed my blades and charged, slashing left and right. Soldiers fell, and the crowd screamed louder, fleeing the scene of death.

Another group appeared from around the side of the hotel, and I swung my blades in a wide arc, summoning the wind magic and directing it at the soldiers.

A horizontal tornado formed from the whirring blades, and the soldiers crashed into each other, bowled over by the force of the wind. One was swept up and hurled into the air, and he landed with a sickening crunch.

The street was almost empty now, and I launched a wave of magic at the building next to me.

Huge chunks of brick and mortar collapsed to the ground, covering the street in a wall of debris as the magic assaulted it's walls. The soldiers couldn't get through.

I ducked around the corner and spotted Lightning and Hope crouching behind a crate. I ran over to them.

"So much for blending in." I said as I surveyed the dock. There were small groups of soldier's patrolling the dock; obviously the turmoil in the street hadn't caught their attention just yet, or it had, and they were searching for us. The latter seemed more likely.

"Which way, Hope?" I asked, turning to the young boy.

He thought for a moment.

"We need to get to the station, right?" He said, analyzing the situation. "We can't go back to the streets, so our best bet is through the dock."

"That won't work, there are too many soldiers." I said, shaking my head.

Hope's face contorted in concentration.

"There's a series of tunnels that leads underground. I used to play in them when I was a kid."

I looked at Lightning, and she nodded.

"Okay, how far is the entrance?"

"It's close." He said, a determined expression setting on his face.

I took a deep breath.

"Lead the way." I said.

Hope nodded, and we stalked from our cover, praying that his plan would work.


	11. Revenge Served Cold

**REVENGE SERVED COLD**

* * *

I followed Hope around the crates, keeping low so that the patrolling soldiers wouldn't spot us. Silently, we worked our way through the maze of crates and boxes towards the tunnel that would be our salvation.

The tunnel was in sight now, a large pipe with a wide crack big enough for a man to enter.

As Hope disappeared into the tunnel, footsteps, louder, heavier, caused me to turn. Behind me, Lightning had her back to a stack of crates, and there was a sizable gap between us. It was in this gap that a soldier began to approach.

I acted without hesitation. If this soldier raised the alarm, then we would be swarmed with soldiers in a matter of seconds.

I dashed forward, a hand snaking around his helmet, my blade impaled in his back.

There was no sound; no hint of a struggle. I gently lowered the body to the ground, cradling it carefully.

Across from me, Lightning exhaled, and I smiled at her as she scurried over to me.

No words were exchanged, instead, Lightning and I entered the tunnel, where we found Hope waiting for us.

"That was close." I whispered as we headed down the long pipe.

Lightning only nodded.

"What happened?" Hope asked, interested.

I shrugged. "Soldier." I said simply.

"Anything to worry about?"

I shook my head.

Hope nodded and continued down the tunnel, following its twists and turns.

"Do you know where this comes out?" Lightning asked the boy.

"I've never actually been this far." Hope said thoughtfully.

"Guess we'll find out soon, then." I said.

My thoughts strayed to Aiden, and his untimely death. He was going to do the right thing, and that thought gave a small amount of comfort. He had begun to question his duty, and if he could do that... maybe there was hope left after all.

"James?"

My head jerked up as Lightning said my name.

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

I nodded.

"Just thinking." I said quietly.

She seemed to read my mind.

"About Aiden?"

I nodded again.

Lightning paused. She seemed to be at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry." She said after a moment.

I gave her a small smile.

"You don't need to try and cheer me up, Light." I said, understanding her intentions. "I'm a soldier, remember? My entire life has been surrounded by death."

"I know, I just thought that..." She trailed off.

"That I might need some emotional comfort?" I said sarcastically. "There'll be time for mourning later."

Lightning nodded.

"Does anyone else know about these tunnels, Hope?" I asked.

Hope shook his head.

"Nobody uses them anymore. Not even the army knows about it." He said.

"Good."

We followed the tunnel even further, our footsteps echoing off the slime-covered walls of the pipe. I could hear the sounds of people above me, but it sounded farther away, and I assumed that the tunnel was leading us further underneath the city.

"How much farther, Hope?" I asked as we rounded yet another bend.

Hope shrugged.

"I don't actually know, I've never been this far in before." He said.

I sighed.

"I guess we'll find out." Lightning said.

It was another ten minutes before the tunnel abruptly ended.

The round pipe opened into a wide square that led to a pathway, and we stepped on it.

I gasped, my eyes growing wide.

"Whoa."

The tunnel had taken us to a massive, sprawling area filled with floating platforms and machinery. Below us was a lake that filled half the space. In the center was a floating, glowing being: a fal'Cie.

I had heard about this place, but had never actually seen it, and I knew that the description didn't really do it justice.

It was Cocoon's Nutri-culture Complex. The fal'Cie in the center was in charge of providing the humans above with food and water.

Lightning peered behinds us warily.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Hope reassured her. "Only kids like me know about that entrance."

"PSICOM'll find it eventually, Hope." I said. "And when they do..."

"They'll canvass the whole tunnel system." Lightning finished for me.

"Then we'd better hurry." Hope said, leading the way onto a platform that acted as an elevator.

Lightning and I stepped on, exchanging a worried glance. Hope's optimism was all well and good, but we knew that it was only a matter of time before PSICOM found this entrance, and us.

"I learned about this place in school." Hope said, pushing a button on the elevator that sent us up to one of the other walkways.

"Come on!" Lightning said, pulling me along.

I had stopped at the railing of the walkway to stare up at the glowing, magnificent fal'Cie.

"That's the city's food production fal'Cie." Hope said.

I nodded. "Yeah, I remember. It's called Carbuncle."

Hope hesitated.

"That's one of our enemies, being Sanctum and all."

"So... kill him and cut off the food supply." Lightning said thoughtfully. "That'll make us popular."

"We're not here to destroy Cocoon, remember?" I reminded her. "It's Eden that we need to get to. An besides, we still need to eat, and killing the guy in charge of giving us food isn't exactly going to help us survive."

"You're probably right." She conceded.

I grinned at her.

"we can use it as a landmark, at least."

We ran down another platform, urgency speeding our steps. The platforms and walkways seemed to have no pattern to them, no real destination.

"Where do you think this leads?" I asked Hope.

"I... have no idea." He said sheepishly.

"Great." I sighed. "If this turns out to be a shortcut to some bakery or something, and _not_ the station, then I'm gonna have to smack you."

"Hey!" He said defensively. "It was either this or be trapped by the soldiers. Besides, if we _do_ end up in a bakery, at least you can grab something to eat."

A smile crossed my face.

"Always looking on the bright side, aren't you?" I said.

We moved on, following the path higher, until we were above the fal'Cie.

"Look at us: Pulse l'Cie using a Sanctum fal'Cie to tell where we're going. Sort of strange." Hope said.

"Not really." Lightning said. "We've relied on them our whole lives. The food we eat, the light and water. It's all from the fal'Cie."

She stopped and looked down at the fal'Cie. "You know, I think Cocoon was really built for them. The rest of us, we're just leeches. Parasites."

"I don't know. They provide us with the essentials of life, even though we look to them to rule us." I said. "In a way, they serve us."

"They protect us, nurture us." Hope supplied. "They take care of, well, normal people." He looked at us. "They treat us like we're special, almost like..."

Hope paused for a moment, then he clapped his hands together.

"Like we're pets!" He said finally.

Lightning's eyes grew round.

"Like pets." She murmured, walking forward.

"Light?" I asked.

"To them, we _are_ just pets. That's it. Now it makes sense."

Her hands balled into fists.

"I've... been so blind." She said, as if on the verge of an epiphany.

"Lightning, what are you talking about?" I urged.

"I was born into a fal'Cie world, raised on a fal'Cie leash. It was the only life I knew how to live." She said.

"We all were, Light!" I said. "We've relied on the fal'Cie our entire lives, and they threw it away with the Purge."

"You don't understand!" She cried, rounding on me. "When it was taken from me, I was completely lost. Without a master to follow, my life had no purpose."

I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again, my hand drifting to my left shoulder, where my hidden brand was.

"Listen to me!" She said urgently. "This l'Cie curse, it took everything from me. My future, my dreams."

"It destroyed all of us, Light!" I said loudly. "What do we have if not vengeance?"

"I didn't want to think!" She said. "So I fought instead. _We_ fought! As long as I was fighting, nothing else was real."

"No! This _is_ real!" I yelled, infuriated by her. She was trying to abandon the mission, a mission that had driven us all this way. "This is worth fighting for!"

"I was running away!" She retorted. "And you, both of you, got dragged along with me."

"What about Operation Nora?" I said, for Hope had a clueless look on his face. "Was that running away?"

"Operation Nora is over." She said.

"What?" Hope said, finally beginning to understand. "No! You told me to fight!" 

Hope advanced on her, suddenly furious.

"Hope..." I cautioned.

"I made a mistake!" Lightning cried, looking away.

"You can't do this." He said, his voice lowering. "You can't just build something up like that, then abandon me."

Lightning stepped in front of Hope and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"I won't abandon you." She said, and there was no doubting her.

"So you're just going to throw it all way?" I said. I wasn't going to let go of our goal as easily as she had.

Lightning didn't reply, instead heading back down the walkway.

"Come on, Hope." I said, dragging the boy after her.

"What do we do now, then?" I asked, turning her around to face me.

"We're l'Cie!" Hope said, holding up his brand. "Ticking time bombs. Enemies of Cocoon."

"Hope's right." I said. "We can't throw in the towel."

"If we can't follow the plan, do we just lay down and die?" Hope asked.

"I didn't mean we should give up." Lightning said.

"Then what battles do we fight? And against who?" Hope yelled, facing her.

"I don't know yet." Lighting replied helplessly.

"You don't know yet?" I cried.

"That's right, I don't know yet. But I do know that we can't lose hope." Lightning said.

"Hope?" The boy looked down and walked away from her, sitting down on a set of stairs ahead of us. "There is no hope, not for l'Cie."

"There's you." Lightning said, her expression softening.

"It's my name, not who I am." Hope said, his eyes downcast.

"We're not giving up just yet, Hope." I said, sitting down next to him. "Even if the mission is over, we're not just gonna let this," I held up his wrist, "rule our lives."

Hope snorted.

"I was just like you." Lightning said. "My parents died. I had to be strong for Serah, so I thought I needed to forget my past, and I became Lightning." She looked at us. "I thought that by changing my name, I could change who I was. I was just a kid."

"Imagine that." I said under my breath.

"Lightning." She continued. "It flashes bright, then fades away. It can't protect, it only destroys."

She came to sit down next to us, with Hope in the middle.

"Serah tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen." She suddenly stood, her arm outstretched towards someone that I couldn't see.

"I threatened her." She said. "The only one who believed her was Snow."

"Don't say it!" Hope yelled suddenly. "Don't say his name. It brings everything back."

"Your mother?" I asked, and he nodded.

"I keep playing it in my head, what happened to her. And then I see his stupid face and... and he's _smiling_." Hope hung his head. "How can she smile when she's dead?" He asked.

Lightning reached out to him, but Hope stood.

"I know!" He said. "There's nothing I can do about it. I hate knowing that. No matter what happens, she's not coming back!"

He clutched at his wrist again.

"When I was fighting, there was no time to think about it. It felt good just to give in. But now you start talking about hope..."

"Hope," I said, standing. "I know how you feel. When my dad died, I was a mess... for weeks." I said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't know anything!" He retorted.

"Don't I?" I said, anger shining through. "The only family I've ever known was taken from me. I'm alone now, and I have been for a long time! How do I not know anything?"

Hope took a ragged breath.

"Sorry." He said.

"Listen to me," I said urgently, crouching down in front of him. "Losing yourself in the fight is fine for a while, but sooner or later you're going to have to face the truth."

"Which is?" 

"That's something only you can answer, Hope. Just know that you're not alone... not like I am."

I was trying to comfort him, because I knew how unhealthy it was to dwell on the past.

"You're not alone, James." Lightning said quietly, and Hope nodded.

I sighed and smiled up at the two of them.

"I guess not." I said, and I looked at Hope, peering into his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm messed up." Hope said finally.

"You won't always be like that." I said reassuringly. "Now let's keep going."

I stood and let Lightning take the lead again, and followed her through the maze of platforms.

Finally, we came to an elevator at the end of one of the walkways.

"Finally!" I said, leading the way towards the elevator.

"That wasn't so terrible, was it?" Lightning asked.

"Speak for yourself, that place was a maze. I hope they shot the architect."

Lightning laughed.

Hope, meanwhile, had been silent, his eyes glued to his feet.

"Talk to your dad." Lightning said when she noticed his disposition.

"What? Why?" He asked, stepping into the elevator after us.

"Fighting without hope is no way to live." Lightning said, pushing a few buttons which resulted in the elevator surging with power. "It's just a way to die."

I rolled my eyes. She could be so dramatic sometimes, no matter how true her words were.

"I want you to find the hope you were named for." Lightning said slowly. "Staying alive, we can help you with. But we cant-" She paused, trying to find the words. "I can't give you hope. If you go to see your father..."

Hope interrupted her.

"You think meeting my dad will make anything better?" He said. "He's never listened to a word I've said. He's just – he'll never believe all this l'Cie stuff."

"He's your father, Hope." I told him. "He'll believe you."

The elevator shuddered and began to ascend.

"Snow believed Serah, didn't he?" Hope asked.

Lightning sighed. "Yeah."

"You believed her." I said.

She looked at me, her eyes filled with regret.

"Not when she told me."

"But you went looking for her, didn't you?" I asked. "You tried to save her."

"But I couldn't. I couldn't save her."

"You tried, and that's all we can ever do." I said quietly.

The elevator jolted to a stop, and we emerged in the town square.

Lightning drew her gunblade, leaving it in its rifle form, and I followed suit.

"So much for the station." I grumbled.

Above us was a tall tower with a screen at the top. A spokesperson was speaking loudly and authoritatively.

"_In a recently convened emergency conference, the Sanctum announced that the fugitive l'Cie have been located. The military plans to apprehend the l'Cie and carry out a public execution."_

"That can't be good." I said, hoisting my rifle over my shoulder.

"_These images coming to you live from the scene in Palumpolum."_

The screen cut to an image of the square, and us in the center.

A loud whirring sounded, and several PSICOM ships and shock troops began to surround the area.

"Damn." I growled, ejecting the clip and tapping it against the handle, then sliding it back in.

The soldiers swarmed in the hundreds, man and machine alike, all responding to the l'Cie threat. I tried not to think where I would be if I hadn't become a l'Cie.

"These are l'Cie. Show no mercy." Said a familiar voice. "They aren't people, they're targets."

"It's Rosch!" I said, recognizing the voice of the man who had once been my idol.

I stepped in front of Lightning in an attempt to shield her, but with soldiers surrounding on all sides, the gesture was useless.

"Start running. I'll keep 'em busy." She said to Hope, who had a look of terror on his face.

"But-!"

"You survive." She said.

"Go, Hope." I encouraged him. "Stay alive."

It seemed hopeless, we could never defeat such a numerically superior force.

"Go with him, Light." I urged her, but she stood her ground.

"James Hudson!"

Rosch had spotted me, and was now speaking to me directly.

I glared at him.

"You showed such promise, it's a shame to see such talent wasted."

Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ground, and smoke billowed from a point on the raised dais of the stands.

I could only catch glimpses of what was going on, but whatever was happening, it distracted the soldiers.

I saw a soldier fly through the air to land at my feet, unconscious, and then I saw him.

Snow.

Impressive as always, he disarmed the soldiers on the dais, and was joined by a familiar woman wearing a blue, primal outfit.

Snow launched a blue crystal into the air, and shot it with one of the soldiers guns.

The crystal exploded in a shower of ice.

The ice cascaded all around the square, flowing into ice tracks that bowled down soldiers.

From the crystal emerged two women, or at least, that's what they looked like.

Snow leaped from the dais as the women intertwined to become a motorcycle. Snow landed cleanly on the seat, and began to ride towards us.

I realized that the two women must have been Snow's Eidolon.

The woman landed just behind Snow and held on, firing at the soldiers as the motorcycle followed the ice tracks.

"It's him!" Hope yelled, stepping forward, but Lightning pulled him back, dragging him through the wave of soldiers, firing rapidly.

I followed her example.

Soldier's Edge extended and retracted as I adapted to the positions of the soldiers around us, cutting them down if they were close, and spewing bullets at them if they were at range.

Lightning forced her way through, her own gunblade firing incessantly, and any that she missed were left for me.

The motorcycle was doing its work, and soldiers were quickly knocked off the dais and into walls as it roared around the Agora.

Suddenly, pain bit into my shoulder as a bullet pierced my right arm. The bullets momentum spun me around, and instead of fighting against it, I used the momentum to turn in a three-sixty degree circle and come around with my rifle raised and firing. A row of soldiers succumbed to my rapid fire as the bullets raked the dais, leaving a spurt of blood.

I winced against the stinging pain, but ran on, following Lightning and Hope towards the center of the Agora.

The soldiers were fewer now, several having fled the scene once Snow had appeared with the mysterious woman, and scores more falling to our attacks. It was much easier. The soldiers were being careful not to hit their own men, and their shots well carefully placed, giving us time to be one step ahead of any bullet that was aimed at us.

Above me, Rosch's ship ascended, leaving the Agora as his plan turned into a disaster.

The soldiers were retreating in our wake, and Snow piloted the motorcycle towards us, giving a cry of jubilation as the motorcycle roared to a stop.

"Hey!" He said, winking at us.

They both stepped down from the vehicle and approached us. The woman was tall, and a burnt l'Cie brand decorated her right arm. She looked so familiar, but I shrugged away the feeling.

Lightning shoved Hope towards Snow.

"Take care of him." She ordered, turning.

But Snow wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"Lightning, listen to me." He said.

"Get moving!" She commanded.

"No, you don't understand! Serah's all right! She'll turn back!" He yelled.

Lightning paused.

"Take care of Hope." She repeated, then she headed towards the exit.

I was torn momentarily. I wanted to follow Lightning, but would Hope be safe with Snow? Lightning seemed to think so.

I made a decision, and ran after Lightning, Snow's shout of "wait!" echoing behind me.

* * *

**SNOW**

* * *

I watched Lightning depart, James and Fang on her tail, but I had no time to ponder their leaving. A squad of soldiers and bioweapons surrounded us, and I pulled Hope onto the back of the Shiva Cycle.

"Hold on!" I said, and revved the cycle, expertly piloting it towards the group of soldiers.

I turned the handlebars, and the cycle spun around so that its side was facing the soldiers, and it collided with the mass of bodies with a satisfying crash, sending the soldiers flying.

I punched the air, then sped towards the bioweapons, pulling the cycle into a wheelie as I closed in.

The cycle roared up the bioweapons long frame, leaving a trail of ice that flowed up its four legs to its large torso, encasing it in ice.

I whipped the cycle around, shattering the ice, and the bioweapon fell in pieces.

Hope had his arms wrapped around my stomach as we raced around the square, taking out soldiers and machines in a matter of minutes.

"I think that's the last of 'em." I said as we smashed into the final remaining soldier.

I dismounted, and Shiva disappeared as Hope clambered off the bike.

"What's up?" I asked the boy as he approached me.

"Where have you been?" He asked, his voice controlled.

"I got taken in." I said, placing my hands on my hips.

"Wait – What?" Hope asked.

"Not by enemies." I explained quickly. "It was the Cavalry, not PSICOM."

I started to pace. "Leader's name is Raines. He said he'd lend us l'Cie a hand. So now, your hero is back!"

"Why would the army help us? That doesn't make sense."

"Military's got all kinds. Not all of 'em like the Sanctum." I said, grinning at him. "Don't worry, I'll handle the bad guys." I placed a hand on his shoulder briefly, then led him away from the square. "Come on."

The ice tracks that Shiva left behind covered the entire area, and we followed them upwards, heading for the rooftops.

"Ice tracks, huh?" Hope said, gazing up at the ice.

"Pretty cool, isn't it?" I said.

Hope nodded. "That was your Eidolon, wasn't it?" Hope asked.

"Yeah, the Shiva Sisters." I explained, giving him a wide smile.

"Lightning and James both defeated their Eidolons." Hope said.

That gave me pause. I remembered what I had felt when Shiva had appeared to me.

"What happened?" I asked.

Hope sighed, but began to tell me what had occurred since I had left.

"So James and Light?" I asked once he had finished. Hope explained about Amra, and James' own feelings for Lightning.

"Sort of." Hope said. "I know he likes her."

That piqued my interest.

"What about her?" I asked. I hadn't given much thought to Lightning's emotions, she always seemed so distant, it was like she didn't have any.

Hope shrugged. "_I _think so." He said. "The way they talk to each other, and how they... _react_ to each other... It's nice."

"Hmm." I mused.

We met several groups of soldiers in our path, but they were dispatched easily. I was surprised at how well Hope handled himself, and watched him closely as we came to a tunnel that would take us back to street level.

"I think we're almost there." Hope said, jogging behind me.

"You've changed, haven't you?" I asked the boy. "Seems like you've toughened up."

"I'm a l'Cie. I had to."

I chuckled. His time with Lightning and James had paid off.

"The only ones that ought to be fighting the army are us dumb grown-ups." I said.

"You think it's stupid to fight?" Hope asked. I didn't notice the change in his tone.

"It is if you get killed." I said. "Anyway, just lay low. Let the dummies duke it out." I winked at him reassuringly. "The army's no match for NORA, right?"

I led the way down the tunnel, Hope close behind me when my communicator beeped.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

I caught up to Lighting, and was soon joined by the woman that had accompanied Snow.

"Hey!" I said. "Where are we going?"

"Away from here." Lightning replied, slowing to a jog.

She turned into a back alley and I followed, the exotic woman close behind.

Lightning stopped, and began to pace back and forth, analyzing the situation.

"We need a plan." I said.

"Snow should have called in by now." The woman said, stepping forward and holding up a communication device. She pressed a button that caused it to flash green.

"_It's me, what's up?"_ Came Snow's voice from the communicator.

"You damn well know what's up!" The woman shouted. "Why haven't you called in?"

"_Sorry, slipped my mind."_

Lightning and I exchanged a glance. Typical Snow.

"Right... What's your status?" The woman asked.

"_Great, great! Hope's great too!" _Snow said. _"Are you all right?"_

"I'm great, you're great, everybody's great." The woman said impatiently, then she turned to us.

"Reunion time. Figure out a rendezvous point." She said, holding out the communicator.

I held my hand out to take it, but the woman handed it to Lightning.

I tried to mask my look of indignation.

Lightning gave me a quizzical look.

"_Hey, Sis. Is that you?"_

"I'm not your sister." Lightning reminded him. "We'll meet at Hope's place. Felix Heights 35-A."

"_Right. See ya there."_ _Snow acknowledged. "Tell Fang 'hey'."_

I assumed he meant the woman.

"Take care of Hope." Lightning said.

"_All over it. And I'll tell you more about Serah when we meet up." Snow said._

I didn't miss the look of skepticism and longing that flashed on Lightning's face.

"_I found out she can turn back. There's still hope."_

It was when he mentioned Hope's name that I remembered the danger he was in.

I gave Lightning a meaningful look and mouthed 'Operation Nora'.

She nodded.

"Snow." She said, her voice slightly lower. "Listen to me. It's about Hope. His mother was-"

"_Lightning, it's me."_

I swallowed when I heard Hope's voice on the other end of the communicator. How far would he go to exact his revenge?

"_I decided – I have to – Operation-"_ The communicator was consumed by static, and Hope's voice cut out.

"Hope? Hope!" Lightning said, giving the earpiece a shake. "Answer me!"

Fang stepped forward.

"Yelling doesn't fix it." She said. "It's called interference." She took the communicator. "You can chitchat when we get there."

Fang tucked it into her robe.

"I've got point." She said. "You two fall in behind." She turned to me. "See if you can calm her down." She said, grinning.

I made a face, but followed her down the alley.

When we came to the corner, Lightning stopped.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking at Fang's brand.

Fang sighed and took a few steps forward.

"Where do I start?" She said, then she chuckled and rubbed her brand. "I've got a few screws loose, but I'm a l'Cie, same as you."

I gave peered at Fang's burnt brand.

"Difference being," she continued, "I wasn't born on Cocoon." 

Lightning gasped, and I sank into a half-crouch, my mind piecing it together.

"I'm from Gran Pulse." She said proudly. "The 'world below' you all hate so much."

"What are doing here, then?" I asked, and Fang turned to me.

"My partner and I'd turned to crystal there and gone to sleep." She explained. "But when we came around, here we were."

"The reason Cocoon's in such an uproar," she said, taking a step towards us, "is the same reason you're here now. Vanille and I woke up."

* * *

**SNOW**

* * *

Hope and I emerged from the tunnel and back into the streets of the city. PSICOM and Guardian Corps soldiers were everywhere.

The soldiers were escorting civilians into cells, probably to keep them out of the way while the military conducted their operation.

"The Sanctum follows fal'Cie orders. It's not just after l'Cie." I told Hope, disgusted by the way the civilians were being treated. "They'll target civilians, and Purge everyone who's a threat."

"And more innocents get killed." Hope said.

I sighed.

"You can't take the blame for that." I told him.

"Someone has to." Hope replied.

I narrowed my eyes at the scene before me.

"We can still save them. We let loose, and bring the army to us."

It was the only thing I could think of, otherwise the civilians would be harmed.

"Draw their fire." Hope said, peering around me to look at the soldiers.

"I'm supposed to protect you." I said. "But I can't let this happen. It's a tough call, that's for sure."

I turned to Hope.

"Only one choice, I guess. I said, smiling at him. "I try to save everyone."

Hope thought for a moment, and I turned back to the line of soldiers.

"So, Hope... are you with me on this?" I asked him, standing. "You just need to look out for yourself."

Hope nodded.

"Here goes nothing." I said, then I leaped forward, rushing into the nearest soldier and bowling him over.

Hope threw his weapon at another, and the civilians ducked, running from the commotion.

I spun around as another soldier lifted his rifle, and ran forward, sliding under the gunfire and delivering a powerful punch that launched him into the air.

Palumpolum's streets were arranged with stairs and bridges, and we proceeded up a flight of stairs to the next street.

I dived out of the way as gunfire raked the wall above me, then it abruptly stopped as Hope launched his boomerang, knocking the soldier to the ground.

"Nice!" I shouted, quickly punching the next soldier in the stomach, then spinning around with an elbow that connected to his head.

"Come on!" Hope yelled, already heading for the next street, and I quickly followed, mowing down several soldiers with a quick flurry of punches and kicks.

The area was all but cleared of civilians now, and Hope and I sped down a spiral staircase, emerging into an area that was filled with a crowd of civilians and soldiers alike.

"Not good." I said, hurrying forward.

One of the soldiers turned at our approach.

"Is there a problem?" He asked. He was obviously unaware that we were l'Cie. "Now why don't you just calm dow-"

I pulled my fist back and punched him square in the head, knocking him down.

The crowd stepped away from me, and I turned and faced them, trying to look as menacing as possible.

I picked up the downed soldiers rifle, and raised it above my head, emptying the clip into the air.

"I am a Pulse l'Cie!" I shouted, trying not to think about the scared looks I was getting. "I'm here to kill you all!"

The crowd ran, scurrying like mice towards the street's exits.

Hope ran up to me.

"What are you doing?" He cried.

I threw the rifle to the ground where it lay, smoking.

"Clearing the area." I said, watching the civilians flee.

At that moment, bullets rained into the ground, and we launched ourselves out of the way as PSICOM troops flew in with jet packs.

"They'll open fire on a crowd!" I informed Hope, shielding him with my large frame. "Doesn't matter who dies. Just wipe 'em all out!" I yelled disgustedly.

The soldiers swarmed us, and I jumped up, hammering one downwards where he crashed to the ground.

Hope sent a fire ball at another, where it collided with the soldiers jet pack and exploded.

The last one had no chance. I rushed him, diving forward and taking hold of the jet pack, swinging myself around midair, and using the momentum to hurl the soldier into the wall.

We ran, through the streets and into an alleyway as more soldiers flew in.

The alley was narrow, and the soldiers didn't pursue us. Above us was a large blue sign. I spotted a single jet pack smoking on the ground and approached it when a small cry caught my attention.

A little girl was cowering in the corner of the alley, gripping a small rabbit-like toy. She was whimpering, and Hope was approaching her, obviously trying to comfort her.

"You okay?" He asked, but the girl just retreated further into the corner, away from Hope, then she threw the toy at him and Hope recoiled.

"Leave her alone!"

A shout echoed around the alley, joined by many others as a crowd full of angry civilians surged towards us, all gripping crude weapons.

The little took the opportunity to push Hope out of the way and join the crowd, where she was embraced by a woman who could only be her mother.

I shook my head. "Oh, great." I muttered, stepping forward.

I raised my arm, and the crowd backed away at the sudden movement, but they didn't run. They were too angry.

I looked up at the sign above me, and launched a ball of magic at he bolts holding it up.

With a shudder, and a loud grating sound, the sign fell, crashing to the ground between me and the crowd, effectively barring their path.

Hope knelt down and retrieved the little girls toy, and placed it on the top of the sign. Although the crowd could have easily climbed over it, the display of magic had sent them into a terror.

"I'm sorry." Hope said.

The sound of running footsteps warned us of the mass of soldiers approaching us, and I quickly took hold of the jet pack, punching it into flight.

"Time to go!" I said, grabbing Hope as I soared upwards, bullets spraying inches beneath our flailing feet.

We flew up, and I could only barely pilot the jet pack as it roared above the rooftops.

I let go as we cleared the building, and dropped lightly onto the roof.

Hope sank to all fours, panting, and the jet pack hit ground where it lay sputtering.

"We've got to stay ahead of 'em." I told Hope, lifting him to his feet. "We walk from here."

Ahead of us was a sprawling array of rooftops, and we started walking, following the path towards the next rooftop.

On the horizon was an expanse of trees, and floating advertisement balloons littered the sky.

I paused to get my bearings.

"Felix Heights is that way, right?" I asked Hope, but he had collapsed, breathing heavily. He didn't answer.

"Still pretty far." I said, trying to keep my tone light. I stared up at one of the adverts.

"'A great place for family living.'" I read it aloud. "So they say."

Hope just stared at the ground.

"Looks like it actually might be, huh?" I said.

Finally, he spoke.

"Yeah, well, l'Cie don't have family."

I turned. "Listen to me, kid." I said. "I'm an orphan – I barely got to know my family." I recalled the Sanctum's orphanage. "But someday, I'm gonna have my own. Once I save Serah, and protect Cocoon."

Hope looked up at me.

"How exactly?" He asked, and I grinned.

"That's a good question." I said. "I want to do what's right, but everyone hates l'Cie." I turned away from Hope and looked out at the rooftops. "Kind of hard to help someone that's trying to kill you."

I looked back at him.

"It'll be tough. But everything will work out in the end." I said. "As long as we stay together and hold on to hope-"

"We don't have any!" Hope said, suddenly standing.

I opened my mouth to retort, but an explosion rent the air, and I spun around to see one of the balloons explode as a velocycle fired at it.

"A l'Cie's only hope is a quick death!" Hope said bitterly.

I sighed, but decided not to argue with him. He was clearly upset.

"Come on." I said, leading the way across the rooftop.

We ran, crossing rooftops using ventilation shafts and beams. That same velocycle reached us, but Hope froze its engines with ice magic, and it fell to the ground far below.

We emerged on another rooftop, much closer to Felix Heights now.

"I wanted to ask you something." Hope said suddenly.

I turned. "What's that?"

He hesitated.

"You say you want a family. What if – what if they were taken from you?"

My brow furrowed.

"Well then," I thought for a moment. "I'd take them back."

"And what if you couldn't?" Hope asked. "What if you knew who was to blame?"

I shrugged unsure of where he was going with this.

"Well, then there'd be trouble." I said. "Hey, are you okay?"

Hope looked down at his feet.

I cocked my head to the side.

"Did you get hit in the head, or something, or-?"

I stopped as loud, mechanical whirring interrupted me, and I spun around.

A flying bioweapon appeared above the rooftop, it's wings flapping powerfully.

I sighed. "Guess we'll have to talk about this later!"

"Don't just stand there!" Hope said, shoving past me and throwing a huge fireball at the bioweapon.

"Hope, wait!" I yelled, running to join him before he got hurt.

I dodged as bullets slammed into the ground, and noticed writing emblazoned on the side of the bioweapon reading: 'Ushumgal Subjugator.'

I assumed that's what it was called.

The Subjugator launched fiery missiles at us, and I pushed Hope out of the way, summoning a magical shield just as the missiles collided with me.

"Get him, Hope!" I cried. "I'll hold him off!"

I used magic to get the Subjugator's attention, then used the shield to protect myself from the imminent blast.

Hope launched magic after magic at the Subjugator, battering its metal exterior, denting it and leaving black marks.

"Aw, yeah!" I yelled, punching the air as the Subjugator turned and flew away, a final ball of magic colliding with its back.

"You did good, Hope." I said, noticing how out of breath he was. "If you need to take a break, why don't we do it over there?" I pointed at the building next to ours. We were too exposed here.

Hope nodded, and we made our way to the building, stopping at the top floor.

The floor contained a couple of vending machines, and I bought a can of drink for Hope.

"Here." I said, holding it out to him.

Hope sighed.

"I'm not thirsty." He said.

"Okay." I said slowly. Didn't kids like drinks? I shrugged. "Well, don't want to waste it."

I approached the balcony and downed the can in several huge gulps.

"Snow?" Hope asked just as I finished the drink, letting a loud belch escape my lips.

"What do you plan to do? I need to know." Hope said.

I smiled at him.

"I told you. Save Serah, protect Cocoon, and have myself a big, happy family." I chuckled. "Still, it's a long road ahead."

I looked at the brand on my arm. More arrows had appeared, and the eye at the center was beginning to open.

"Or, maybe not so long." I added. "Whatever happens, things will work themselves out."

I took a step forward from the balcony, towards Hope. "Even if you're l'Cie, you've got to keep fighting." I threw the empty can at one of the bins, where it landed with a satisfying clunk as it flew into the bin.

"And what if that gets people around you involved?" Hope asked, and I stopped.

Serah.

"What happens when your actions end up ruining someone's life?" Hope asked, advancing on me.

Gadot. Lebreau. NORA.

"What if someone dies? What then, Snow?"

"I..."

A woman, falling to her death because I couldn't save her.

I staggered backwards, my back hitting the rail of the balcony.

"How do you pay for what you've done?" Hope asked, his voice rising.

I spun around, my hands slamming down on the rail.

"I can't, all right?" I said loudly. "There is nothing that can make something like that right again."

All my fears, all my regrets, all the lives that were ruined because of me had found me.

"When someone's dead, when someone's gone, words are useless." I said bitterly.

"So that's it? People die and you just run away?" Hope said, yelling now.

I slammed my fist on the rail.

"I know! It's all my fault!" I said. "But I don't know how to fix it!" I couldn't. "Where do you start? What do you say?"

I had no idea what to do.

"All I can do is go forward." I said. "Keep fighting and surviving, until I find the answers I need."

"There are no answers!" Hope shouted. "You're running from what you deserve!"

I stood upright.

"Well, why don't you tell me what I deserve?" I yelled.

"The same fate!" Hope shouted.

I turned as he gave a cry, and Hope exploded in a wave of magical energy, ripping through the railing and knocking me over the edge.

I managed to hold on to the edge of the building with one hand, my feet dangling. What was going on?

Hope approached me, a knife in his hand. A knife I recognized.

"Nora Estheim." He said, his voice shaking in anger. "She was my mother. And she died because of you!"

Then it finally made sense.

"You!" I gasped. A woman, falling to her death because I couldn't save her. Hope, her son, the one I was supposed to protect all along.

"You're the one she meant!"

Hope raised the knife above his head, but the blade never came down.

I heard the distinct sound of missiles flying towards us, then they exploded.

Hope was thrown over the edge, propelled by the force of the blast.

"Hope!"

I saw him fall, and I reacted instinctively. I pulled my feet up, and launched myself off the building, grabbing onto Hope's falling body, and shielding him with my own.

We fell, several stories, crashing through panes of glass and parts of the building that jutted from the wall.

Then nothing.


	12. Kissed by a Rose

**KISSED BY A ROSE**

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

I looked at Lightning, my eyes wide.

"Vanille?" I asked, just in case I had heard wrong.

Fang looked at me, puzzled, and nodded.

I didn't respond straight away, my mind was still trying to process everything. Vanille, cute, adorable, childish Vanille, was from Gran Pulse. She was this woman's partner.

It all made sense. The events and Euride Gorge, the Purge, the Sanctum l'Cie... then it hit me, why she was familiar to me.

"You!" I gasped, my hand moving to my rifle. "It was you!"

Fang's frown deepened.

"What are you-" She began, but I cut her off.

"You were the one at Euride Gorge!" I snarled. "I saw the surveillance tapes, it was you and Vanille!"

"You're PSICOM?" She asked, reaching for her own bladed staff.

"Enough!" Lightning said, stepping in front of me. She gave me a look that plainly said 'later', and placed a hand on my arm.

I calmed at the contact, and lowered my rifle.

"I _was_ PSICOM." I muttered. "Now I'm a l'Cie."

"That puts us on the same side." Fang said forcefully.

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Vanille's all right." I said, regretting my outburst.

"You've seen her?" Fang asked, her eyes lighting up.

I looked at Lightning. "She... we think she got away." Lightning said vaguely.

"Away?" Fang queried.

"That's what she said she was doing." I said. "Running away."

"Do you know where she is?" Fang asked, her voice rising.

We shook our heads.

Fang sighed, obviously put out by our lack of useful information.

"Then I'll find her." She said, determined.

"What happened when you woke up?" I asked.

"When we came out of crystal stasis, we didn't remember our Focus or what we'd done." Fang said. "All we could do was wonder Cocoon, looking for what we'd lost.

_**Day 5**_

_Fang and Vanille came to a stop at the center of Euride Gorge, a large, circular room with an elevator on one side._

"_Let's give up!" Vanille cried. "Forget our Focus, we don't need it!"_

_'We don't need it?" Fang exclaimed. "Look, if we don't figure it out and pull it off, you're gonna be a Cie'th."_

"_It's just – making a kid that young a l'Cie?" Vanille said doubtfully, her mind filled with the image of the young boy. "It's not right!"_

"_Yeah, it's unfair." Fang said. "But guess what? We grin and bear it like good l'Cie, or the fal'Cie starts making more. Like that girl the other day."_

_She had to make Vanille understand._

"_It doesn't matter what our Focus is. We do it, whether we like it or not." Fang said._

"_But-" Vanille started, but Fang interrupted her._

"_Say we call it quits. You think these people will let us go? They'll lynch us in the street."_

_Fang took a few steps forward and placed her hands reassuringly on Vanille's shoulders._

"_Listen, Vanille. We do what we've gotta do and get ourselves off this filthy world, as fast as we can."_

_Fang directed her friend into the elevator._

"_Fang?"_

"_You get out of here first." Fang said quickly. "I'll buy you some time." She stepped out of the elevator._

_Vanille made a whining sound, but Fang shook her head._

"_Now, don't you worry." Fang said. "I'll come and find you, no matter where you go."_

_Fang pushed the button that would take the elevator up, then jabbed it hard with her red staff. She pushed Vanille back into the wall of the elevator, then quickly jumped out before the doors closed, leaving Vanille trapped in the small space._

"_Wait! Fang!" Vanille said desperately. "Fang! Please! Don't leave me!" But Fang ignored her pleas._

"_You're not gonna end up a Cie'th." Fang muttered._

_Loud footsteps echoed around the circular chamber, and Fang knew that the military was on it's way._

"_You boys coming or not?" She shouted, stepping into a fighting stance. "Your fight's right here!"_

"By the time I took care of 'em all, Vanille was long gone." Fang finished. "After that, Raines and his Cavalry found me."

She gave us a tortured expression.

"I never stopped searching for Vanille, but I couldn't find her." She said. "Her, or our Focus."

"So, you're telling me Serah will come back to life someday, too?" Lightning asked.

"Yep." Fang said, regaining some of her enthusiasm.

"That's great!" I said, beaming at Lightning. "Your sister will be okay!"

I looked at Fang.

"Right?"

Fang shrugged.

"We didn't do our job right." She said. "That's why it made her a l'Cie. We messed up. Sorry."

Lightning gave her a quick glance, then strode in front of her and slapped her, the back of her hand colliding with Fang's face.

"Hey!" I said, taken by surprise by Lightning's sudden hostility. "If a soldier heard that..."

I peered around the corner at the mass of soldiers that were patrolling the main streets. PSICOM and Guardian Corps had put aside their differences for the duration of the crisis.

"That it?" Fang asked.

Lightning gave her a look that would have caused most people to start running.

"You sure better hope so." She said menacingly. "But whether we're square, that's up to Serah."

"You sound exactly like Snow." Fang said.

Lightning turned.

"And_ he_ didn't hit me." Fang continued.

"Not helping you're case." I muttered to her, and she grinned.

"Wait, he already knows this?" Lightning asked.

Fang stood, ignoring her. "Wow." She said. "That's a load off. Glad I apologized."

I shook my head.

"You apologized so you'd fell better" Lightning asked.

"Guess so." Fang said. "How about you? Feel any better now that you hit me?"

"Bring up what happened at Euride and _I'll _hit you." I said. "Those were my friends."

Even if we were on the same team, Fang and Vanille's break-in at Euride Gorge had cost many soldiers lives.

"Would you like me to apologize to you too?" Fang asked, sighing.

"Yes." I admitted.

"Then I'm sorry." She said.

I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't really expected her to apologize.

"I can live with that." I said.

"Truce, then?" She asked, extending her hand.

I hesitated, then gave her a small smile and grasped her hand.

"_I'm _sorry too." I said, remembering my own actions at the Hanging Edge, and the amount of faceless soldiers I had killed, all to protect the innocent lives of Cocoon's civilians. Fang had only been protecting Vanille in the only way she knew how.

"I guess we really _are_ playing for the same team now."

"I did what I had to do." Fang said, reading my mind.

I nodded. "I understand... I did to."

"It doesn't change anything." Lightning muttered.

Fang rubbed the side of her face.

"Tell that to my jaw." She said.

I suppressed a chuckle, which quickly turned into a curse as I poked my head around the corner again.

A soldier was walking towards us, and there was no time to hide.

"Incoming." I warned, putting my back to the wall.

The soldier appeared around the corner and I struck, yanking the soldier towards me and shoving him hard against the wall, where he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Not bad." Fang said appreciatively.

I shrugged. "I have my moments." I said.

Lightning rolled her eyes.

I rounded the corner, and skewered a soldier on my extended blades. This wasn't going to be easy.

I ran forward, down the street and towards the bridge that was our destination. Soldiers littered the path, along with several bioweapons.

"Okay, soldier boy," Fang called. "Let's see what you can do." We split, moving into an arrow formation, with Lightning in the front.

I dodge a row of bullets and placed a foot on the wall beside me, launching myself off and at the soldier who had fired at me, my blades cutting him down.

Lightning swiped at two, but one evaded at the last minute, only to be swept up by Fang's staff.

Our teamwork was impeccable, and the soldiers didn't stand a chance. The bioweapons were a different matter, however.

The bioweapons were all the same model, four legged machines with a torso and head. Its arms ended in large guns, and it fired relentlessly.

"Move!" Lightning yelled, and we dived out of formation to avoid the spray of bullets.

I hacked at it, but was swept off my feet almost instantly as its arm collided with my chest.

Lightning was smarter, she and Fang went to work on the legs, staggering it, then launching it into the air.

I pulled myself up as Fang brought her lance down, knocking the bioweapon into the ground, where it exploded in a mass of writhing smoke.

"Show off." I grumbled. Fang grinned at me.

"What did you think of that?" She asked in her thick accent.

I shook my head, then decided to step things up a little.

I ran forward, swiping at the bioweapon and severing one of it's legs. As it fell, I jumped on top of it, running along the length of its horizontal body and dived forward at the next bioweapon, my blades impaling its torso. The bioweapon fell backwards with the force of the blow, and I stood, still on top of the bioweapon.

I grinned at Fang.

"What did you think of _that_?" I asked her.

"I think you should duck." Fang said.

I turned to see a bioweapon raise its arms in my direction, and I felt a hand in mine pull me down.

Lightning let go of me, and rushed towards the bioweapon, striking angrily until it was smoldering at her feet.

"Thanks." I said.

Lightning nodded.

We headed towards the bridge, a mass of bodies and sparking bioweapons behind us.

"Okay. Let's get Snow on the line." Fang said, sitting down and withdrawing her communicator.

She pushed a button, and a loud whistling noise sounded from the device.

"Still jammed?" I asked.

Fang nodded. "He can take care of himself."

"We'll just have to believe that." Lightning said.

"Hey, Fang?" She asked after a moment. "The others are safe, right? If any of us got caught, they'd make an announcement."

I nodded. "They would. PSICOM would want to let everyone know right away that they're doing their job."

"These Cocoon people," Fang said, "bunch of cowards and blowhards."

I glared at her.

"'These Cocoon people' have spent centuries under fal'Cie law, in constant fear of a Pulse invasion." Lightning said, crossing her arms. "If it weren't for Serah, I'd have been out there too. Hunting l'Cie."

"So would I." I said. "I'm _so_ glad that things turned out this way." I said sarcastically. Fang chuckled.

"Would have been nothing but targets to me." Lightning continued.

I nodded. "This is the kind of thing we train for, Light." I told her. "_Exactly_ this kind of thing." I sat down next to Fang. "We'd be hunting you, Fang."

She shrugged.

"Well, Gran Pulse is just as twisted." Fang said. "'Cocoon's a floating nest of vipers, ready to strike.' Or so I thought."

"We aren't all bad." I said.

"So you became a l'Cie to fight the 'vipers.'" Lightning said. "And destroying the nest is your-"

I knew what she was getting at. It made sense that Fang's Focus was to destroy Cocoon.

"I mean _our_ Focus now." Lightning finished.

"Until we woke up here, we'd been in crystal stasis." Fang said, walking up to her. "Which means, we must have completed our first Focus."

Then she groaned.

"Why can't I remember that part?" She said angrily. "My childhood's clear as day. But the one thing I need – it's just gone."

"You can't remember _anything_?" I asked, disappointed. Any information about her Focus might be useful.

Fang shook her head.

"Blank. Like an empty page." She said. "I reach for the memory, and nothing's there." She turned to us. "Then there's my brand. It's all messed up." She swatted at it absentmindedly. "Vanille and me, we lost our past and our Focus."

"And now, you want to find them?" Lightning asked. "Be a Pulse l'Cie?"

"An enemy of Cocoon." I murmured.

Fang hesitated.

"Pulse and Cocoon can rot for all I care." She said suddenly. "If I don't figure out our Focus soon Vanille's gonna be a Cie'th."

I couldn't help but pity her.

"I'll tear down the sky it it'll save her."

We fell silent.

"Let's keep moving." I said.

We followed the streets and alleyways for a while, taking down any resistance.

"So what's the deal with you and her?" Fang asked quietly after another battle.

I blushed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I can see what's going on." She said. "The way you two move in battle... it's like... _dancing_."

"I can't dance." I said through clenched teeth. Her description didn't make me feel better. I had noticed the way we worked in battle together, how effortless it was to fight alongside each other.

"Sure, sure." She said, but she was still smirking.

I rolled my eyes, and exhaled.

"Just walk." I said, indicating for her to follow Lightning, who was leading us.

Fang chuckled.

"All right, but remember, I see the way you look at her... and the way she looks at you.

I stopped.

Fang started walking away.

"Wait-what?" I called after her.

"It's obvious that she cares about you." Fang said exasperatedly. "She's constantly watching you in battle, just like you watch her... you're guarding each other."

"Light can handle herself." I said.

Fang chuckled.

"Doesn't stop you from checking on her all the time."

"'All the time-' We just met." I said, aggravated, though I knew it was all true. Fang was definitely quick on the uptake.

"

"Hey Lightning." Fang said suddenly.

"Call me Light." Lightning said.

"Did you see Vanille's brand?"

"No." Lightning said.

"I did." I muttered sheepishly. I remembered where Vanille's brand was.

"What did it look like?"

I thought back.

"Like mine?" I asked.

Fang sighed.

"Want to know how long until Cie'th city? Just look at your brand." Fang said. "You start getting more arrows, and then finally an eye."

Lightning turned away from us and unzipped her top.

I swallowed.

"Once it opens all the way, you're done." Fang finished. "Let's have a look."

She forced Lightning to turn to her, and examined her chest. "Don't be shy."

I tried not to think about what Fang was seeing right now, but I couldn't help myself.

"Calm down, James." Fang said, winking at me.

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as Lightning turned her head towards me, her own face going red as she gave me a small smile.

"Nowhere near." Fang concluded. "You've got time. Still you never know."

Lightning zipped up her shirt, and my heart slowed.

"I'll assume that mine would look the same as hers, seeing as we became l'Cie at the same time." I said.

Fang shrugged.

"Some people, doesn't take so long." She said. "You get a nasty shock, it can speed up the process."

I quickly pulled the side of my top down, exposing my shoulder, and strained to look at my own brand.

It was covered in arrows.

"Hmm." Fang mused as she looked at it. "It's a little further along than Light's is." She said.

"What?" I gasped.

"Something traumatic happen?" Fang asked.

Then it hit me. I hadn't thought about it too much, learning long ago that dwelling on things I couldn't change never helped, but Aiden's death would count as a shock.

"It's okay. You've got a while before you change."

"I feel much better now, thanks." I said darkly.

"Vanille's brand must be pretty far along by now." Fang said. "I've got to save her and get her home."

"To Pulse, you mean?" I asked.

"To _Gran_ Pulse." Fang corrected. "I hear that the Sanctum prevents people from leaving Cocoon."

"All these people hear about Pulse are how dangerous it is." I said. "Nobody in their right mind would willingly go there, allowed to or not."

"I'd like to see 'em try and stop me." Fang said.

It was an odd scene. Lightning and Fang both had their backs to each other, with me in the center.

"So, that's your plan?" Lightning asked. "I wish I had one."

She walked away from me.

"Without Serah, without a future, there's nothing to plan for." She said. "There's no way out of this mess, and no way to fight it."

She sounded so depressed, so doubtful, that I couldn't stop myself.

I strode up to her and took hold of her arm, spinning her around so she was facing me.

"That's not true!" I said, looking into her ice-blue eyes. "Snow said that Serah would change back, and the only thing, the _only_ thing, that's stopping us from having a future is this!" I touched her chest, where her brand was. "And we can get rid of it."

"How?" She asked.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no answer would come. I let go of her arm, and it dropped to her side.

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet." I admitted, looking at my feet. "But I'll find a way."

"Listen to yourself, James!" She retorted. "We're stuck trading blows with the Sanctum, but that's no plan!"

"What else can we do?" I asked.

"Even if we topple the government, where's that leave us? With nothing to fight for?" She shook her head. "I might as well be dead."

"Your sister." Fang said, speaking up. "You've got plenty to fight for. Think about it."

I nodded as she joined my side.

"Don't you wanna see Serah, after she wakes up?" Fang asked. "That's your future right there. All you've gotta do is survive. It's simple."

"Easier said than done, Fang." I said. "The entire military's gunning for us. So, unless you've got some sort of 'anti-Sanctum' weapon hidden under that robe of yours..."

"What's under my robe is none of your business." Fang said, smirking.

"It is if you've got a weapon." I retorted.

"Then you're out of luck."

"Tell me something I _don't _know." I said sarcastically.

At that moment, three PSICOM soldiers flew above us, speeding towards one of the buildings ahead of us.

The three of us exchanged a wary glance.

"Snow." Lightning said.

"They found 'em!" Fang cried.

The rooftop exploded in a giant cloud.

"Oh no." I said, running towards the building, Lightning and Fang close behind me.

* * *

**SNOW**

* * *

I woke with a start, pain roaring in every limb.

I sat up and looked around.

I was in an alley. Overturned boxes littered the small corridor. I turned around, and saw Hope, lying on his side, unconscious.

I crawled towards him, willing my aching body to move, praying that he was okay.

My breath came in ragged, shallow pants, but I muttered the boy's name, shaking him.

"Hey, Hope!" I cried when he didn't respond.

Hope let out a moan, and he turned onto his back, but his eyes remained shut. At least he was alive.

I looked up to see an enormous PSICOM ship cruise above us. We needed to get out of here.

I pulled Hope onto my back, ignoring the pain, but it was too much, and I staggered, clutching my stomach.

I inhaled great lungfuls of air, and slowly stood, my back arched under Hope's dead weight, when I saw it.

Lightning's knife. The knife Hope had pulled on me just a few minutes ago. Lightning must have given it to him.

I picked it up. Lightning trusted Hope with this knife, and I wasn't about to leave it there, so I placed it in my pocket and began to walk.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

Felix heights wasn't far from where we were, and it had only taken several minutes to reach the district.

Fang, Lightning and I entered one of the buildings, and ran up the stairs. We encountered several soldiers, probably investigating the blast.

"They're everywhere!" I hissed to Light, and she smiled grimly.

"Then let's thin out the crowd." Fang said, shoving past me and hurling herself into the group of soldiers.

I drew my blades and followed suit, slashing wildly, blood spurting onto walls as my blades cut into flesh.

I moved my torso to the side as one of the soldiers tried to hit me with the butt of his rifle, and evaded the blow, spinning around and swinging my blades in an arc, effectively cutting the soldier in half. I didn't stop to admire my handiwork, though.

I took a quick at Lightning, but she was dispatching two soldiers with ease, slicing into one, then flipping over the other and firing with her gunblade.

A bioweapon appeared, and I reacted instantly.

"Light!" I called, and she appeared beside me.

We ran together, then split as we neared the bioweapon, our blades cutting into its torso, splitting it in half.

It crashed to the floor with a loud bang.

We hurried past the fallen bodies of our enemies, running flat out. If Snow or Hope was hurt... or had Hope finally competed his mission? Had Operation Nora been a success?

* * *

**SNOW**

* * *

I climbed upwards, each rung a challenge. Hope was dangling over my shoulder, barely supported, and the pain was beginning to overwhelm me, but I had to keep going.

I puled myself up onto the rooftop, gripping the railing for support, then I collapsed.

Hope fell from my shoulder, and he tumbled onto the ground a meter away from me. I lay there, panting, but Hope needed me.

I pulled myself up and crawled to his still form, pulling onto my back, again bearing his weight with my injured body.

A series of bangs echoed in my ears.

"That must be Light." I said to myself. She wasn't far.

The sound penetrated Hope's mind, and he lifted his head groggily.

"Hey." I said, smiling weakly.

Hope propped himself upright on my shoulders.

"Why'd you save me?" He asked after a moment.

I sighed.

"I was asked to keep you safe." I said. "By Lightning." I remembered Nora Estheim's final words. "And by Nora." I hung my head.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, but I knew it wasn't enough. I had deprived this boy of the one comfort he had. It was my fault he was here in the first place, fighting for his life. "What happened – it was my fault. I put her in danger."

I replayed the events in my head. How could I ever make it up to him? Was it even possible?

"I know that." I said. "Let me make things right."

"You told me before that you couldn't." Hope said, his voice even.

"And that words were useless, and a lot of other things I shouldn't have said." I said. "Look, I didn't know what to do, didn't know how to set things straight. So I didn't."

I had to explain these things to him, why I had never faced them before.

"I thought if I couldn't make up for it, then all the apologies in the world wouldn't mean a thing." I told him. "So I decided I had to find a way to pay for it first, before I'd even have the right to say sorry. But, it's like you said. I was using that as an excuse, so I could run from my own guilt."

I stood, grunting with the effort.

"That hit home." I continued. "Look, Hope. I know what happened was my fault. I don't deny it, and I am sorry."

I handed him Lightning's knife.

"Here." I said as he took it. "That's Light's, isn't it?"

"I... Why'd you-?" Hope began.

"That knife was a present from Serah." I said, stumbling forward. "To keep her safe. She trusted you with something that important? You should be the one to carry it."

I carried Hope down a flight of stairs.

"I'll find a way to make things better." I promised him. "Just give me time."

We came out to a large, circular area, open to the evening sky. The sun was setting, and the patterned ground was cast in an orange light.

"If nothing I do is good enough, then I'll take any punishment you want to dish out."

I carried him to the center of the circle.

"She's gone, Snow." Hope said finally. "You can take the blame... but it won't bring her back."

I closed my eyes, the truth of his words cutting deeper than any wound.

"I'm sorry." I repeated.

"I knew it all along." Hope said. "I knew it, but-" He paused, trying to find the words. "I had to blame someone. I had to."

Hope slid the blade closed, and clenched it tightly.

"I needed a reason to keep of fighting."

"It wasn't _someone's_ fault. It was mine." I said through clenched teeth. "Take it out on me. And keep yourself alive until you do."

I started forward, but I couldn't move my legs properly, and I stumbled, dropping Hope and falling to the ground.

I struggled, trying to get up. "I have to keep going." I said to myself, but my strength was nearly gone. I grabbed hold of the pillar in front of me, and pulled myself up, leaning against it.

"Look at that." I said cheerfully, looking at Hope. "You don't even need any help."

He was standing on his own now.

"You're all right. That's good to see." I tried to keep my breathing even. "Just let me catch my breath." I said.

Then my eyes went wide.

The Subjugator flew towards us, it's battered frame glinting in the fading light.

"Hope!" I cried as the Subjugator landed in front of us.

I had to protect Hope, and I stepped in front of him.

"Get back! I got this one." I said, but the Subjugator swiped at me with its huge forearm, and I crashed into the wall, my eyes closing as I slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

We ran onto the rooftop, only to gasp at what we saw.

Hope was standing, alone, as an enormous bioweapon reared down on him. Snow was lying unconscious, clearly beaten.

I ran to stand beside Hope, joined by Fang and Lightning.

"You okay?" I asked, drawing my blades. I recognized the bioweapon. It was an Ushumgal Subjugator, and I had only ever seen it in action once. Never had I thought I would be facing one as an enemy.

"I'm fine!" Hope replied.

"Snow?" Lightning asked.

"He's okay."

"I've seen one of these before." I said.

"What are it's weak points?" Lightning asked, skilfully dodging one of the Subjugator's flailing limbs.

"It doesn't have any!" I shouted as a beam of energy was shot at me, leaving a smoking mark inches from my left foot.

I ran in, parallel to Fang, and struck at it with my blades, leaving several shallow dents in its armor, and leaping backwards as another energy beam shot at me.

I used magic, launching a bolt of electricity at the Subjugator's head, but it barely had any effect.

We weren't doing anything to it. Our attacks were useless against something as big as this, but still we battled.

Snow was down for the count, Hope was launching relentless attacks at the the Subjugator. Lightning and Fang unleashed their fury on the airborne bioweapon.

The rooftop shook under the machine's heavy blows as we dodged and evaded.

I knew we wouldn't last much longer. Not against this.

It was at that moment that Lighting was hit, a massive limb sweeping her off her feet.

"Lightning!" I roared, ignoring Fang's protests as I rushed to Lightning's side.

"Hope! Heal her!" I cried, but Hope was too busy fending off the Subjugator to pay any attention to Lightning.

I lifted Lightning's torso, cradling her in my arms.

"Light?" I called, brushing hair from her face. The battle was all but forgotten. It didn't matter what happened, if Lightning died, it was over. I had faced this before, and I knew I couldn't go through it again.

"James?"

Lightning's eyes opened slowly, and her lips curled upwards in a weak smile as she saw me.

Then she cringed, her face contorting with pain, and she clutched at her leg.

I looked down to see a long cut running along her thigh.

"Damn." She whispered.

"It's gonna be fine, Light." I reassured her, smiling at her. "You're gonna be fine."

"Here."

Hope appeared at my side, and a wave of magic washed over Lightning. The cut healed, and I pulled her to her feet.

But instead of leaping into action with a determined expression, Lightning's eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped.

"Oh no." She said quietly.

I turned.

Two more Subjugator's joined the first, surrounding the rooftop.

I gasped. We couldn't defeat three of them. That was it. We would die here, on this rooftop. Snow and Hope, Fang and Me... Lightning.

A wave of emotion coursed through me, and I turned to face the woman I knew I loved.

"Run." Was all I said.

Lightning gave me confused look.

"What?" She asked, nonplussed.

It was the only thing I could think of, and I'll be damned if I was going to let her die, not now.

"I'll hold them off. You grab Snow and get out of here!" I commanded her forcefully. I couldn't let her die, not while I could do something about it.

"No way!" She shouted. "You're not sacrificing yourself!" She shook her head wildly.

My eyes bored into hers, dark brown meeting ice-blue, and I willed her to understand. She _had _to understand.

Bullets and energy beams rained down on us, and I turned.

The Subjugator's were grouping together, charging for another attack. Fang and Hope were trying to keep them at bay, but they couldn't last any longer.

The lull in the battle provided me with the time I needed.

"Go." I urged, facing Lightning. "If I don't do this, we'll _all_ die."

She stared at me, her face going through a series of different emotions.

"You can't leave me." She whispered finally, a single tear appearing at the corner of her eye and beginning to slide down her cheek.

I smiled softly, and reached out, wiping the tear away with my thumb.

It was in this moment, as I faced my end, that everything became perfectly clear.

"Lightning." I whispered her name, and my head inched towards her.

She didn't pull away. Instead, her face arched upwards in silent consent.

Finally, passionately, our lips met, melting around each other like a fire, moving in perfect synchrony.

I reveled in the taste of her. My arms curled around her body protectively, possessively, lovingly. Her back arched as I pulled her tighter, our bodies crushed against each other in our embrace.

It was a moment I had dreamed about, a moment I had longed for, a moment I knew she wanted as much as I did.

A moment that ended too soon.

I pulled away, her lips following mine momentarily.

"James..." She whispered.

"Are you two just going to stand there?" Fang called exasperatedly. "Maybe you hadn't noticed, but we are _under attack_!"

I ignored her. This was the last time I would see Lightning.

I brushed my hand along her cheek, and my forehead leaned against hers.

I took one last look at her mesmerizing face, then pushed her away.

"Now GO!" I shouted.

She inhaled, steeling herself, then she rushed over to Snow's unconscious figure.

"About time-" Fang began, but Lightning interrupted her.

"Fang! Hope! Give me a hand!" She shouted.

Fang turned, horror-struck.

"But what about-?"

I placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Leave it to me." I said.

She nodded, her practical mind realizing the hopelessness of our situation, and she didn't argue. Instead, she turned and pulled Snow over her shoulder. L'Cie strength counted for something, at least.

The Subjugator's were rearing for another attack, and I dodged out of the way as the massive energy beam finished charging and collided with the side of the building.

I turned as my companions disappeared into the stairwell. Lightning was last. She stopped, one hand on the arch, and looked back at me.

I gave her a quick grin.

Then she was gone.

I turned, sinking into a half-crouch, my blades held ready.

"Let's end this." I growled, my teeth bared in a feral snarl.

The Subjugator's began to charge their power again, and I charged mine.

"Amra." I said.

The lion appeared, roaring wildly, and I leaped onto his back.

"This is it." I said, patting the lion's mane, and Amra surged forward.

The lion collided with the Subjugator on the left, and ripped it to shreds, the armor splitting like butter under Amra's claws. The wings were severed from its body, and the Subjugator fell to the ground below, Amra jumping lightly back onto the rooftop.

But I could already feel the power fading. The Eidolons could only be summoned for so long, and Amra didn't have much time left.

I commanded the lion to attack, and it jumped at the other Subjugator, but before it could hit its mark, the Subjugator let loose with a powerful beam of energy that collided with Amra, and it was propelled back onto the rooftop.

I was knocked off the lion's back, and I hit the wall. I got to my feet instantly, but Amra had disappeared. I was alone.

There were still two Subjugator's left, and I ran forward, releasing a mighty war-cry.

I came to the very edge of the building and jumped, sailing through the air, my blades pointed outwards, straight at the Subjugator.

The blades found their destination, and impaled into the Subjugator's head. Sparks flew, and the Subjugator spiraled out of control.

I held on for dear life, but I was thrown off, unable to retain my grip in the mad frenzy of the Subjugator, my blades still trapped in the Subjugator's head.

I fell, wind whipping into my face. The rooftop stretched away from me as I plummeted to the ground.

I hit the ground.

Hard.

But I was alive.

Pain wracked my body, and I groaned weakly. Every muscle screamed in agony. My blades were gone. Soldier's Edge was gone.

I looked up, my vision blurred, but I could clearly see the remaining Subjugator far above me.

A light appeared, growing brighter, originating from the bioweapon.

It was charging its power.

I was too weak to move, my strength was gone.

Lightning had escaped with the others. She was safe. For now. I had bought her that extra time. That was all I could give.

The beam of energy ripped away from the Subjugator.

I saw it hurtle towards me, felt the searing heat envelop my body. Oblivion would take me, and I welcomed its release.

The light was pure agony, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I didn't open them.

Lightning...


	13. Home Sweet Home

**HOME SWEET HOME**

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

My breath came in rapid pants, and I slowed to a stop. Fang placed Snow onto the ground gently, so as not to injure the still unconscious giant. Hope collapsed to his knees, the shock plain on his face. I wondered if my own expression mirrored his.

An explosion sounded behind us, emanating from the distant rooftop we just vacated. Another followed the first, larger and louder, and my stomach clenched. Suddenly, a bright light flashed, illuminating the rooftop, then it was gone. All was silent.

"James." I murmured under my breath.

Fang stared at the rooftop, just like I was, her expression unreadable. Hope was shuddering, but I had no emotion to spare for the boy. All of my feelings were now with the man who sacrificed his life so that we could escape.

I brought a finger to my lips, and replayed the moment in my head. James' lips on mine was like a heaven I never thought I could have, never thought I would need, and now, never would have again.

"He's... he's gone." Hope said, his voice shaking.

I couldn't answer. I felt that if I opened my mouth, if I responded in any way, I would be overcome with the pain and loss that I was wrestling with.

"Do you think he...?"

Hope posed the question, one that I was asking myself. Could James still be alive? Every fiber in my body begged that he was, but I knew that he couldn't be. There was no chance.

"We can't stand around here, all day." Fang said, trying to regain some of her practicality, but none of us moved. I was numb all over. Tears stung my eyes, and my chest ached horribly.

I replayed the kiss again, and the wonderful, blissful feeling I discovered in the depths of James' closeness.

I blinked, and shook my head. Now wasn't the time to grieve. We were still in danger. I shoved James from my mind.

"Come on." I said, pulling Hope to his feet. He was unsteady at first, but soon found his balance.

How far to your Dad's?" I asked.

Hope swallowed, and Fang listened intently.

"We're almost there." Hope said. "Follow me."

Hope led the way, and I followed, but I wasn't focused.

_He pulled his helmet off slowly to reveal a handsome face with dark brown hair that was disheveled and messy._

"_I'm here to help." He said._

I fought the lump in my throat as the memories surfaced. They seemed so long ago.

_My fingers brushed against rough, callused skin, and they tightened around an unknown someone's wrist._

_It was the soldier._

_He twisted his arm slightly, and his hand wrapped around mine. The contact was soothing in the darkness._

Why was life so unfair?

_I turned to see James rubbing his head, a small shard of rock at his feet._

"_Ow-Okay I'm in pain." He said._

The corner of my lips twitched in an amused smile.

"_It's okay, just don't get the idea that we're all best friends because we're stuck in the same situation." I said darkly._

_James grabbed my arm, his expression concerned._

"_Hey." He said quietly. "Like it or not, we _are_ stuck in this situation, and we're all you've got."_

He was right, and now he was gone.

"_Lightning!" A voice called to me from behind, and I was quick to recognise James' voice._

_If it weren't for the extra pair of footsteps I detected, I wouldn't have stopped, knowing full well that James would be able to keep pace._

"_Wait for us!"_

He had been an invaluable part of the team, a companion, a friend, and for me, so much more.

"_Girl?" He asked._

"_What? No." Hope said, surprised at his guess._

"_Gorgeous girl?" He asked immediately._

_I raised my eyebrows at him._

"_What?" He asked, his cheeks reddening. "It's I Spy."_

"_Gorgeous girl?"_

_He shrugged self-consciously._

He thought I was gorgeous.

"_Since I told you that," he said. "Will you tell me about your piercing?"_

_I felt the heat flood my face._

"_You noticed?"_

_He grinned. "Of course."_

_My eyes narrowed. If he noticed, he had to have been looking at my stomach. Why such an area interested him was a mystery to me._

Not anymore.

_An odd thought occurred to me, as I allowed sleep to take hold. In allowing James to guard us, I had trusted him. It was a jolting realisation, but as I drifted, I knew that if anybody was worthy of that trust, it was the soldier standing over me._

_Protecting me._

Protecting me...

"_Why are you looking at me like that?" I suddenly asked._

_He looked away. He had been staring at me for over a minute with an odd expression._

"_Nothing." He said quickly._

I had found the attention flattering.

"_What...?" I started, sitting up, but he didn't give me the chance to speak._

_He pulled me towards him into a tight hug._

"_James..." I said, surprised, and I pushed him away. "What happened?"_

He had been relieved that I was alive.

"_Lightning." He mumbled, reaching out to stroke my face with his hand._

_I swatted his hand away as he brushed his fingertips against my skin. He blinked, confused._

"_This is _my_ dream, Light." He told me, patting the empty space in the bed beside him. "And you're wearing considerably more clothes than last time."_

_I blinked._

_So did he._

I suppressed a small smile.

_My eyes fluttered open, and I felt something leave my face._

"_Good morning." He said, smiling._

_I smiled at him, then I came to my senses. I frowned as I realized my position, and quickly propped myself up on my elbows._

"_Morning." I said self-consciously._

"_I'll assume you didn't mind sharing a bed with me, then?" He asked, chuckling as I blushed._

"_That was... completely unintentional." I retorted._

"_Admit it, you were comfortable." He pressed, barely able to keep a straight face._

"_I... that's not... we're not talking about this." I said._

_He grinned._

I _had _beencomfortable.

"_You're not alone, James." I said quietly, and Hope nodded._

He wasn't.

"_Calm down, James." Fang said, winking over my shoulder._

_I turned my head towards James, my face going red as I gave him a small smile._

He had been blushing furiously while Fang examined my brand.

"_Lightning." He whispered my name, and his head inched towards me._

_I didn't pull away. Instead, my face arched upwards in silent consent._

_Finally, passionately, our lips met, melting around each other like a fire, moving in perfect synchrony._

Enough!

"Light?"

A voice shook me from my rapid spiral of despair. Hope was looking up at me, concerned.

"You okay?" Fang asked.

Hope rounded on her.

"Of course she's not!" He said, as if it were obvious. "James is dead! He was – I mean, he and Light – He's dead!" He stumbled over his words, trying to put it as delicately as possible, as if mentioning our rooftop display would cause me to break down.

I wasn't a fragile girl. I was Lightning. I couldn't let James' death deter me.

"I'm okay." I said, and I stepped forward.

"Which one is your house?" I asked.

Hope led the way up a flight of stairs and stopped at a long brown door.

He hesitated.

"He saved us, Light." Hope said quietly. "He kept us safe."

I was wracked by a single sob, a long shudder down my spine.

"I know." I answered.

"Here." Hope said, reaching into his pocket and extracting the knife I had given him. "Snow said Serah bought it for you to keep you safe, and now that James..." He trailed off.

I took it silently, turning it over in my palm.

"Operation Nora didn't work out." Hope muttered.

A mess of emotions coursed through me, and I pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you." I whispered.

I let him go.

"I'll be okay." I said.

Hope nodded, and turned to the door, pressing the doorbell.

The door slid open, and a tall man in a business suit and glasses stepped out, gasping as he saw Hope.

"Hope!" The man said.

Hope didn't respond immediately.

"Mom's gone." He said.

I stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

I was determined to regain some semblance of my persona.

I forced the memories of James away, but I knew they would never leave me. I didn't want them to. They were all I had left.

All I possessed of the soldier who had changed me, of the man who had, in such a short period of time, become closer to me than my own sister.

All I possessed of James Hudson.

* * *

Bartholomew Estheim lived in a large, classy home. The furniture all looked brand new, and very expensive, but none of us stopped to admire.

After a brief explanation of our situation, I had left Hope with his father, and taken the unconscious Snow into the bedroom.

I bandaged his wounds, feeling somewhat self-conscious at tending to the half-naked giant that was my sisters fiancè.

I did what I could for him, the rest was up to him, and I retreated to the corner of the room, my eyes glued to the television and my knife in my hand.

"_Roughly twenty-five hundred civilians believed to have come in contact with the l'Cie are now being held in quarantine by the Sanctum." The news-reader said. "Our latest insta-poll has shown a vast majority in favor of the immediate Purging of these individuals..."_

Snow gave a rasping cough, and I turned.

"Hey." I greeted him as he sat up. "Lay down."

I flicked the knife closed and strode over to him, sitting on a pouffe by the bed and crossing my legs.

"All right." Snow said, lying down.

"Huh. I see you took the kid's toy away." Snow said.

I sighed. "He gave it back to me. Said he didn't need it any more."

Snow was silent for a moment.

"Go figure." He said finally, staring up at the ceiling.

We were silent for a minute.

"It was too much." I said quietly. "What happened to Serah. All I could think about was, 'What could I have done?'"

I wasn't sure why I was saying these things, but I had a sudden urge to tell someone why I had fought.

"I hated myself for not trusting her."

I looked down at the knife.

"It hurt too much. I couldn't face it."

I put the knife in my pocket, and let the silence stretch.

"Look, Snow." I began. "I... I'm sorry. Forgive me."

I was sorry. Sorry for the way I had treated him, sorry for not realizing that he was looking out for Serah as much as I was.

"For what?" Snow asked, sitting up.

I stood.

"Everything." I said.

"If you told me your real name, I suppose I could." Snow said, lying back down.

I turned to him and chuckled.

"Have Serah tell you – when she comes back."

"Deal."

The silence again filled the room.

"Hey." He said suddenly. "Where is everyone?"

I looked at him.

"We're at Hope's place, he's with his Dad, and Fang is around here somewhere." I said, trying not to think about the missing person.

"Where's James?"

I shut my eyes, and didn't respond.

"Light? Where is he?" Snow asked, more forcefully this time.

I swallowed.

"He's... not here." I said vaguely.

"Not here?" Snow asked.

I shook my head.

"When's he getting here, then?"

I turned my tortured expression on him.

"Never." I said, and was again tormented by the stinging in my eyes and the lump in my throat.

Snow sat up.

"What happened?" He asked seriously.

"We were overwhelmed." I said quietly. "James stayed behind so that we could escape."

Snow was silent.

"I'm sorry." He said. "Hope mentioned you two were... close."

"We... were." I whispered.

"Hope said he liked you."

Although it was a statement, I could hear the question behind it.

"He kissed me." I said softly.

Snow's eyes grew wide.

"He what!" He asked, his voice suddenly a shout.

"Shh." I hissed.

"Sorry." Snow muttered. "He kissed you?"

I nodded.

"Did you hit him?"

I glared at him.

"Why would I hit him?"

"Because he kissed you."

"Why would I hit him for kissing me?" I asked.

"You didn't?" Snow asked incredulously. "I guess you do have feelings."

I gave him a look.

"Maybe not for you." I said.

We were silent again.

"Lightning... I'm sorry." Snow whispered.

"I wish he were here." I said softly.

"Is there any way that he could have survived?" Snow asked.

I shook my head.

"I saw the explosions, no one could have lived through that." I said.

Snow fell silent again.

At that moment, the door to the bedroom opened.

Hope was standing in the doorway.

"My dad said he'd like to see you guys. He wants to talk."

* * *

Our group sat down on the couches, but I stayed standing.

It was Snow who made the first move.

He stood, then knelt down and touched his head to the ground.

"The blame is mine." He said. "I couldn't save her."

Bartholomew didn't respond, but Hope quickly intervened.

"If it wasn't for Snow, I wouldn't be here right now."

Bartholomew looked up.

"Snow." He said. "Did Nora... Did she say anything to you?"

"Hope." Snow answered. "She said to... to get him home."

Hope nodded.

"And that's exactly what you've done." Bartholomew said.

Snow looked up at him, his face surprised and relieved.

I let out a sigh. We couldn't afford Bartholomew's enmity, so his forgiveness was well-received.

"Face to face like this, it's hard to believe you're all dangerous fugitives."

I sat down while Bartholomew spoke.

"But the entire world is scared to death of you l'Cie." Bartholomew continued. "No, not even just you. People who've helped you, bumped into you. Sometimes it's even just people who've walked by one of you." His voice took on a tone of disgust. "They think they're 'tainted' and want every one of them Purged."

"The Sanctum's a puppet of the fal'Cie!" Snow said loudly. "To them, our lives don't mean anything at all."

Bartholomew contemplated Snow's words.

"We'll stop this." Snow promised. "Take down the Sanctum, _and_ save Cocoon."

"You've thought that through?" Bartholomew asked.

Snow raised his eyebrows.

"If l'Cie take down the Sanctum, fear of Pulse will only get worse." Bartholomew countered. "It won't stop at fear. People will take up arms and stand against you. Can you imagine it? The rampant violence?"

"When the government's control is gone, the citizens will revolt." I said.

Snow sighed.

"So, what then?" Fang asked. "We're supposed to just smile and eat a bullet? That means you, too." She looked at Bartholomew.

"I know I'm part of this." Bartholomew said. "I'm on your side of the fence. Harborer of l'Cie, and a public enemy."

"Coming here was a bad idea." Hope said thoughtfully.

Bartholomew turned, and placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"This is your home."

Hope smiled, and Bartholomew stood.

"We're all here. Let's figure this out together."

Suddenly, the lights flickered, and then switched off.

I was in action immediately.

PSICOM.

I heard the rumble of cruisers overhead, and the sound of many footsteps outside of Hope's home.

I peered around, letting my eyes grow accustomed to the darkness when a noise sounded above me.

"Heads up!" I said as the glass ceiling smashed, and several tear gas grenades entered the living room.

I held my hand over my mouth, coughing violently as soldiers flew in.

"Hope! In the back!" I heard Snow shout.

Hope grabbed his father by the arm and lead him to the bedroom, but he stopped by Snow, who had collapsed.

"You're not ready for this." I heard Hope say. "I'll stay here. Snow. Help my dad!"

A soldier approached me, gun raised, and I flipped over him, my hands curling around his helmet and twisting it violently until I heard a sickening crack.

I saw Snow accompany Bartholomew into the bedroom, and then a soldier confront Hope, who spun around a second too late.

I dashed forward, launching a powerful kick at the soldier, sending him to the ground, then lifting my foot high and bringing it down on the prone soldier.

Fang joined my side, leaving a trail of downed soldiers in half the living room.

"We need to get out!" Fang yelled as I slashed at another soldier. "Barricading ourselves in here isn't going to make them give up and go away!"

The flow of soldiers ceased, and silence reigned supreme. PSICOM wasn't going to risk sending more in when so many had already fallen.

I crouched by the row of windows and peered around them.

A mass of soldiers were gathered, their guns trained on the house. Fang and Hope were stacked up next to me.

"Who ordered the battalion?" Fang said as a gunship appeared.

"They'll take out the whole building next." I said.

I turned to see Snow emerge from the bedroom, and motioned for him to join us.

Snow escorted Bartholomew out of the light that flooded most of the living room, and settled into a dark corner.

"Dad!" Hope ran over to his father.

Snow peered around from behind me.

"My turn." He said.

Snow pulled off his trench coat, and I stepped aside, allowing to take my place beside the window.

He put his back to the wall, his trench coat in one hand, then he held out that hand in front of the window.

Bullets spewed from their rifles at the sight of the tan coat, and slammed into it, leaving an array of bullet holes.

I stepped forward. What was he doing?

"Snow." I cautioned him, but he held out his other hand to silence me.

"Don't shoot!" He shouted. "I'll show you what a l'Cie looks like!"

The rapid firing ceased, and Snow stepped into the light, his hands up.

I saw the multitude of red dots dance around his body.

"Me! I'm a l'Cie!" I heard him say. "Surprised? Expected some kinda monster? I'm flesh and blood like you!"

I waited.

"An ordinary citizen of Cocoon!" Snow's hands balled into fists. "Don't you get it? This has been our home our whole lives! How could we even think about destroying it? We want to protect this place just as much as you!"

Doubtful muttering broke out amongst the ranks of soldiers.

"You must be Snow Villiers."

A new voice joined the throng, and a man I recognized stepped forward. I had seen him earlier today, at the Agora where Snow had appeared with Fang.

"Yaag Rosch, PSICOM Division." The man said. He had silver hair, and sported a black overcoat. "I understand your plight. However, the Pulse threat is not so easily dismissed. The very existence of you l'Cie puts every last one of us in danger."

He paused.

"Tell me, do you really think your life is worth more than the lives of millions of Cocoon's citizens? I do not. And so, it falls to me to order your execution."

I narrowed my eyes at Rosch.

"It's that simple." Rosch continued. "It is my responsibility to see you put down."

Rosch turned.

"Your lives are forfeit." He said.

"Aw, cut the crap!" Snow yelled. "You want l'Cie, then kill l'Cie! Why do other people have to die. The Purge has got to stop!"

"Do you think we want to Purge our own people?" Rosch retorted. "If any trace of Pulse remains, the populace will erupt into chaos. Without sacrifice, without the Purge, Cocoon will die!"

At that moment, grenades bounced in front of the soldiers. Smoke billowed from them, and engulfed the soldiers.

"Who fired? I gave no order!" Rosch cried.

Snow sank to his knees in a fit of violent coughing.

Explosions rocked the rooftop, and bullets riddled the PSICOM troops.

I watched as chaos reigned, and the soldiers broke, running this way and that like scattering mice.

"We're leaving!" I said, standing. "Hope! Tie up your dad."

I turned to Bartholomew.

"We threatened you, and forced you to help us. Got it?"

"There must be something else-" Bartholomew started, but Hope spun around to face his father.

"Do what she says!" He ordered. "I can't let you get dragged into this."

Hope began to wrap a length of rope around his father's wrists.

"I want to stay here. But there's no place for a l'Cie." Hope said. "I'm going with the others."

He stood, and went around to his father's front, so that he was facing him.

"We'll survive somehow." Hope reassured him. "I promise you that."

I watched them share this moment, Fang standing beside me.

"Dad." Hope said. "I hate to run out on you-"

"You're not running!" Bartholomew suddenly said. "This is not running away. You've made a choice." Bartholomew stood. "You'll survive, and do what needs to be done."

"You mean complete my Focus?" Hope asked.

"Don't you worry about that!" Bartholomew said, shaking his head. "You make the choice."

Hope hesitated, then stepped towards his father and embraced him.

"Thanks, Dad." Hope said after they broke apart.

"Damn it." Snow muttered from outside.

I looked outside to see Snow standing.

I looked up.

The gunship was bearing down on him.

"Hope!" I shouted, and ran outside, Fang close behind me.

"Our turn, Hero." I said to Snow as I passed him.

"What? I can handle a little gas." Snow said weakly.

"Catch your breath!" Hope said loudly, blocking Snow's path. "I'll throw in some hits for you!"

I spotted the insignia on the side of the gunship.

'Havoc Skytank'.

I wasted no time on talk, instead launching several bolts of magical energy at the ship.

The Skytank responded by firing one of the four cannons on its hull, and I dodged out of the way. It was too far away to engage in melee, so I settled with magic and the rifle form of my gunblade.

"Fang!" I yelled. "Take out that cannon!"

Hope and Fang were mirroring my actions, using magic to attack the Skytank.

Fang nodded, and sent a massive fireball at the cannon just as another projectile ripped away from it.

The fireball collided with the rocket just as it left the cannon, and they exploded, but the magic did its job.

The firing end of the cannon was reduced to a blackened shadow of its former capabilities.

I took the opportunity to unleash a rapid slew of bullets, and they pierced the Skytanks armor, leaving a line of bullet holes.

The ship fired again from one of its other cannons, and this time it was Hope who flung himself out of the way.

"You okay?" I called over to him as he leaped to his feet.

"Yeah!" He replied, sending a wave of ice magic that encased a portion of the ship.

I quickly threw a large bolt of energy at the iced armor, and it exploded, revealing a mass of wires.

Chunks of armor fell to the ground far below, but the Skytank was far from finished.

A rocket slammed into the ground a meter away from me, and I was thrown backwards, hitting the ground hard.

I ignored the pain that was racing through me, and stood quickly.

I copied Fang, and launched a fireball at the offending cannon.

The fireball hit the part of the cannon that was attached to the Skytank, and it fell, sparking, but no longer dangerous.

"Take out the cannons!" I yelled, and the three of us launched various magic energy at the cannons.

But the Skytank was not going to give up so easily.

The remaining two cannons issued smoke, and rockets raced towards.

I gasped and dived, but Fang wasn't so lucky. She dodged the first rocket, but the second exploded a foot away from where she landed.

I rushed over to her, avoiding another rocket that was fired at me, and slid to a stop at her side, already waving my hand over her wounded body.

"Light, look out!" Hope suddenly yelled.

I turned, and saw a rocket speed my way.

There was no time to move, and even if I did, Fang wouldn't survive the blast.

I didn't move, indecision stalling me, and then it was too late.

The smoke trailing behind the rocket marked its path through the air, and I leaned over Fang's body, shielding it with mine.

The rocket exploded.

Ten meters away from us.

I breathed again, and looked behind me.

Snow was kneeling, panting rapidly, his palm outstretched and his brand shining.

He gave me a wide grin, but I barely noticed as I healed Fang's wounds.

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around, saw me, then sprang to her feet.

"Thanks." She said, already running to re-engage the Skytank.

I joined her, throwing several bolts of energy at the two cannons.

An explosion rocked the ship, followed by another, and the cannons were rendered useless as we continued our relentless assault.

I threw more magic at the hovering gunship, and its metal exterior was rapidly torn off under our blows. Bits of metal rained down, and the engines began to sputter horribly.

The Skytank looked half its original size now, with so much of it having been blown apart.

I jumped up, as high as I could, and gathered the magic I had become accustomed to, holding out my palms.

I hurled a giant ball of magical energy. It shimmered brightly, glowing in the night sky, and it pulsated slightly.

The ball struck against the front of the Skytank, and an explosion rocked the rooftop.

The entire front of the ship was gone, only a smoldering ruin remained, and the engines could no longer hold against such abuse.

The ship fell, slowly, its entire frame ablaze, and it sank below the rooftop, the engines still sounding faintly.

As the Skytank fell out of sight, another ship replaced it.

"Again?" Fang yelled. "There's no end to these guys!"

"They never learn." I said, then sank into a half-crouch.

Before I could attack, however, a yellow beam of energy pierced the second Skytank, and the PSICOM ship exploded in a massive display of heat and light.

I looked up to see another ship approaching us, its energy cannon slowly closing.

I raised my gunblade, prepared for another battle.

The ship landed, and a ramp slid open, revealing several soldiers that ran towards us.

"Heya, Fang." One said.

My brow creased, and the soldier took off his helmet.

The man had long, reddish-brown hair that flowed past his shoulders.

"Need a ride?" He asked, chuckling.

I sighed, and lowered my gunblade as Fang spoke.

"Don't get cute." She said amicably. "Right." She turned to us. "Let's move it."

I turned to Fang.

"You know these guys?" I asked her.

She winked at me.

"Course," she said. "They're the Cavalry."

"Oh." I said, understanding.

I followed Fang onto the ship.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

I dreamed...


	14. Prisoners of War

**PRISONERS OF WAR**

* * *

"_All of Cocoon was against us. With us dead, they were sure everything would go back – back to the way it was before."_

* * *

_**Day Eleven**_

_I looked up at the fireworks that illuminated the night sky, and was momentarily awed by the spectacle._

_A writhing mass of colors and loud bangs and whistles dominated my senses, and all I could do was stare._

_The Bodhum fireworks display was famous for a reason, and I was witnessing this reason tonight._

_There was a large crowd gathered at the beach, all staring up at the shower of sparks above the water._

"_Anything?" my earpiece buzzed._

"_Nothing unusual," I replied, again raking my eyes over the crowd. My gaze lingered on a pink-haired beauty deep in conversation with a large man._

"_And Jihl?" the man on the other end of my communicator asked._

"_Still with the kid," I said. Jihl had escorted the young l'Cie to Bodhum with his father. I hadn't met the father yet, but I spotted Jihl lurking in a discreet corner of the beach._

"_You gonna wish on those fireworks?" my earpiece asked jokingly._

_I chuckled. "Sure, can't hurt."_

_I thought for a moment, then made my wish._

"_What did you wish for?" my earpiece rang after a sufficient pause._

"_The usual," I lied coolly. "A million gil and a flashy hovercycle."_

"_But you hate flying," the earpiece stated with mild humor._

"_I'm not going to _fly _it," I explained indignantly. "It's for show."_

"_Of course it is," my unseen comrade said sarcastically._

My eyelids were heavy, but I pried them open slowly.

My entire body ached, and I realized I was lying in an uncomfortable position on the cold, hard ground. My vision was faint, and black around the edges. Shadows flitted past my eyes, and I groaned feebly as I struggled to stand.

Then the memories came rushing back, and I realized, with a shocking jolt, that I was alive.

Then one though hit me with startling clarity, and all my attention was diverted onto the one thing that mattered.

Lightning.

Was she okay?

One of the shadows above me stopped, and as the haze that filled my vision cleared, I suddenly recognized the woman standing over me.

Jihl Nabaat, PSICOM Lieutenant.

"Hello, James," she said, realizing that I was conscious. "Welcome back."  
I could see stars above me, and briefly wondered how much time had passed. I made to stand up, but my brain was working too slow, and my movements were sluggish and disoriented. Jihl's boot came crashing down on my chest as soon as I moved.

"Sorry," Jihl said, smiling serenely, "but you're not going anywhere."  
I narrowed my eyes at her, and tried to pry her boot off, but I had no strength; I felt completely drained.

Instead, realizing that escape was futile, I turned my head, trying to pinpoint where I was and exactly what was happening around me.

I was surrounded by a bustle of activity as soldiers cleared the area. They were creating a perimeter, isolating the wide alleyway where I lay.

"All this for me?" I asked Jihl conversationally, doing my best to relax. "I'm flattered."  
Jihl glanced around.

"I'm going to be completely honest with you, James," she said quietly.

"Joy," I interjected sarcastically, and she responded by pressing her boot harder against my chest, making it hard to breathe.

"You're going to be executed, tomorrow, and the public will see that PSICOM is handling the Pulse threat," she said. "But first, we need to learn as much as we can about you l'Cie, just in case."

My stomach tightened, but I kept my expression impassive.

"I can't wait," I said grimly, and she flashed me a brilliant smile.

At that moment, a soldier appeared next to her.

"It's all clear, Lieutenant," the lone soldier said with a swift salute. "We're prepared to land."

Jihl nodded. "Good, take him up."

The soldier saluted again and muttered inaudibly into his earpiece.

A loud thrumming sounded, increasing in volume until it was a roaring in my ears.

I recognized the sound.

Engines.

A ship was approaching.

I looked around, trying to see the ship, then was surprised by its proximity.

The ship was hovering above the ground ten meters away from me, huge gusts of wind billowing around it as it settled.

The soldier turned and gestured for someone I couldn't see to join him.

A third man walked up to us, but he wasn't a soldier. The man wore a white lab coat, and clutched a long needle filled with fluorescent blue liquid.

"Ready?" the scientist asked, and after an answering nod from Jihl, he crouched down beside me.

I suddenly understood, and lashed out with my arm, punching the scientist square in the face. The man was knocked over, landing on his backside in an awkward sitting position, glowering at me and massaging his jaw.

But my retaliation was not without consequence. As soon as my fist connected, Jihl re-position her foot, and the soldier kicked me, hard, in the side of the head.

My body went limp, but I didn't lose consciousness from the heavy blow. A multitude of stars joined the ones already in the night sky, and I blinked rapidly, my head throbbing in a pain much more agonizing than any headache.

I tried to fight the haze, but my brain wouldn't respond, and I was only capable of slight, weak movements. A single twitch of my arm was all I could muster.

I felt a sharp pain in my right arm, in the crook of my elbow as the recovered scientist jabbed the needle in my skin, the light blue liquid entering my bloodstream.

I suddenly felt light-headed, and my vision blurred, rapidly turning into a black nothingness.

* * *

The first thing I noticed was the smell, the subtle, yet still detectable scent of smoke fumes, a smell that could only be associated with the engines of a ship.

Beneath that – and as I unconsciously turned my head it became more powerful – was the smell of leather.

Then I noticed the crisp, clean air on an enclosed room.

Second was sound, and with ever-increasing volume, I heard the tell-tale roar of the engines.

But it was the voices that caused my eyes open.

"James?"

The voice was deep, slightly course, and somehow familiar.

The face peering down at me was one I knew.

"Sazh?" I asked, my brow creasing.

The dark-skinned man grinned, his white teeth in stark contrast with the color of his skin.

"Hey, kid," he said.

My eyes roamed, taking in the small room.

I was lying on a blue leather cot which was bolted to the east wall. On the south side of the room was a large bulkhead door. Above me, Sazh was staring, concern etched on his face, and behind him, her orange pigtails bobbing with each slight movement of her delicate face, was Vanille.

"Vanille?"  
She nodded jerkily, and her face broke out into a small smile.

"Hey, James," She said, her high-pitched voice contorting with her accent, which took on a new meaning.

I shook my head, trying to clear it and focus on what was happening.

"What's going on?" I said, my voice was croaky, and my throat was sore, like I hadn't spoken in days.

Sazh and Vanille exchanged a loaded glance.

"Well," Sazh began slowly, "we have a small problem."

Vanille's expression faded, and she bit her full bottom lip, a frown on her face.

"Where are we?" I asked, but even as I spoke the words, I began to recall. "Damn," I cursed, not waiting for him to answer.

Sazh nodded. "Yep, we're stuck here."

I groaned and let my head fall back to the cot, but in the same instant I bolted upright.

"And the others?" I asked, praying that they had some information.

Sazh raised his eyebrows.

"The others?" he asked.

I glanced from him to Vanille, waiting for someone to fill me in.

"Lightning, Snow? Are they okay?" I asked desperately, but it was clear that they knew no more than I did; less, even.  
"We should be asking _you _that, kid," Sazh said, giving me a searching gaze. "What happened?"  
I took a deep breath, and prepared to relay to them the recent events.

Their faces went from concerned curiosity, to shock, awe, and then shock again, as I told them the story, pausing when I got to Fang's appearance.

I looked at Vanille, scrutinizing her expression.

"I met a friend of yours, Vanille," I told her slowly.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, and I was quick to explain.

"Fang's okay," I said.

A tiny gasp escaped Vanille's lips, and her hands flew to her mouth.

I nodded, giving her a small smile.

"She's been looking for you."

It took Vanille a moment to recover, but when her hands finally slipped from her face, she uttered a single question.

"Is she okay?"

I hesitated. In truth, I had no idea whether my plan to stay behind had worked. They may have escaped to Hope's house, or PSICOM might have caught them; but seeing as they weren't here, I assumed they were still at large.

"I'm sure she's fine," I said vaguely. "She's with the others."

She didn't interrupt again as I finished my story, but her hands covered her mouth again as I recounted the battle on the rooftop (I left out the interaction between me and Light).

Where are they?" Sazh once I had finished.

I shook my head.

"I can't tell you here," I said, "PSICOM will be watching."

The two of them nodded in response, and my eyes flickered around the room, eyeing the ceiling for any security cameras, though none were visible.

Then I turned to them.

"What happened to you two?"

Sazh turned to look at Vanille, who dipped her head once.

Sazh turned back to me and began to tell his tale, and my eyes grew wide as he described a journey through the Vile Peaks to the Sunleth Waterscape – a bright, vibrant forest near the coast – across the ocean to Nautilus, the city of dreams itself.

He told me how Jihl Nabaat had caught up with them, following the unlikeliest of leads. Sazh's young son, Dajh, was a Sanctum l'Cie, and it was the boy's Focus to track anything from Pulse. It had been Dajh who had discovered the Pulse fal'Cie lying dormant in the Bodhum Vestige.

Sazh also revealed how it had been Vanille's fault that Dajh had turned into a l'Cie. With the boy wondering into Euride Gorge while Fang and Vanille had been raiding the energy plant trying to recover their lost forgotten Focus, the Sanctum fal'Cie Kurata – who oversaw the Plant's operations – had taken the only countermeasure it could, and transformed Dajh into a l'Cie.

Sazh explained how Dajh had turned to crystal moments after their reunion in Nautilus, and the capture after Sazh encountered his Eidolon.

My mouth hung open stupidly when Sazh reached the end of his story.

Then my mind made a startling connection.

"You!" I gasped. "You're the father."

Sazh frowned at my sudden outburst.

"What are you on about?" he asked warily.

I gaped for only a second.

"Dajh, your son, I saw him. I was there when they tested his abilities in Eden, at the PSICOM HQ."

Sazh's eyes went round as he processed this new information, then he relaxed, a sombre expression replacing his momentary shock.

"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Sazh said helplessly, his eyes downcast. "Dajh is a... a crystal now."

His voice broke at the end, ruining his attempt at control.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, instinctively trying to reassure him, his pain was too horrible to contemplate, but I knew something that could ease his suffering.

"He'll turn back," I said fiercely. "Vanille and Fang did, and so will Serah and Dajh."

He looked up at my face for a few seconds, then, slowly, he nodded.

I withdrew my hand and leaned back against the wall, motioning them to be silent. I needed to concentrate if we wanted to get out of here.

I let the soldier guide me; let my instincts completely rule me, and tried to analyze the situation. We needed to escape, and fast, before the execution.

I turned to the man and the woman who were waiting impatiently.

"We're probably on the Palamecia," I explained. "It's PSICOM's largest ship, the crown jewel of its Skyfleet," I told them quickly. "And we need to bust out of here."

"Impossible," Sazh said immediately, shaking his head. "I've tried everything I can think of. Magic doesn't work on the door or even the walls, and our weapons were taken when we were captured."

At the mention of weapons I felt a sudden pang for the absence of my own. Soldier's Edge was all I had left of my father, and it was a part of me, an extension of my own arm. Without it, I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable.

I took a deep breath.

"Once we're out of this cell, we need to get to the armory and grab some weapons, otherwise we won't get very far. Then-"

Sazh cut me off.

"Once we're out of-!" he scoffed. "And just how do you propose we do that?"

I glared at him.

"I'm thinking," I told him, but I couldn't think of anything that would get us out.

"Don't worry," Vanille said cheerfully. "You'll think of something."

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Vanille, we're stuck here, behind enemy lines, with no way of escaping!" I pressed. "How can you be so..." I searched for the right word. "Optimistic?"

She shrugged. "I have faith in you," she said, grinning at me.

I sighed and shook my head, closing my eyes, but when no brainwave flashed inside my mind, I just sat in silence, remembering how Lightning had reacted to my kiss on the rooftop. The thought brought a serene smile to my face.

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

It was impossible for me not to think of James, no matter how hard I tried to focus on the present. All my companions saw was Lightning, and that was all I would show them; there was no need to worry them about things that I couldn't change. James was dead, and that was that.

It seemed that I wasn't doing a good enough job.

"Are you okay?" Snow asked, joining me as I gazed out of the glass of the Lindblum.

"I'm fine," I said coldly, not looking at him.

"I don't think you are, Light," Snow stubbornly continued. "I know how much you hate sharing, but if you need to talk-"

"I said I'm fine," I growled. "Just leave me alone."

"Lightning, you're our leader," Snow pressed. "How can you lead if you keep dwelling on the past?"

"I'm not-"  
"Aren't you?" he cut me off, his eyebrows raised beneath his bandanna. "Fang told me the whole story. There was no way you could have saved him."

"I know," I said, but a lump was forming in my throat. "I know that. He's gone, and I can't do anything about that."

Snow nodded. "He saved you; he saved _us_," Snow said. "But you can't carry that guilt with you."

"I don't feel guilty," I replied stagnantly.

"Yes you do," he said. "It's just like with Serah-"  
"It's nothing like Serah!" I suddenly found myself screaming. The mention of my sister was the trigger. Snow was wrong.

"He's not a crystal, Snow! We're not going to complete our Focus and save him! He's not coming back!"

"I _know_, Light, but-"  
"No, you don't know!" I cried, slamming my palm against the glass.

Snow was silent for a moment.

"You're right," he conceded. "He's not coming back, but I know he wouldn't want you to mope around like this."

I sighed. He was right, of course. It was exactly what I had been telling myself, but it was much more difficult than I had expected.

"I know that," I repeated softly, finally turning to look at him. His blue eyes were concerned, a hint of his usual smile still on his lips.

"There'll be time to mourn him after we save Cocoon," Snow said, and I nodded, turning back to the glass, not really seeing the blue sky outside.

I could see his reflection smile at me, then he turned and walked away, leaving me to wrestle with my own emotions.

"Lightning! Come here!"

Hope's voice was a welcome distraction, and I turned, striding towards him. He was starring at a large screen.

The other l'Cie crowded around me, all hoping to get a better view of the screen. The bridge of the Lindblum – the Cavalry's airship – was filled with soldiers and workers, all shuffling past us in their haste to perform their assigned duties. Also congregated around the screen was Rygdea, the man who had come to our rescue in Palumpolum, and Brigadier General Cid Raines, the commander of the Cavalry.

My attention never drifted from the viewscreen, where a report of the captured l'Cie was showing across all of Cocoon.

"_There she is," _the newscaster said as the screen switched to a display of a massive white ship. _"The Palamecia, pride of the Sanctum Skyfleet! This mighty flagship currently serves as a prison for the l'Cie apprehended in Nautilus."_

My eyes narrowed at the new information, and I heard the sudden intake of breath that escaped my companions.

_The l'Cie will face official sentencing upon the convoy's arrival in the capital," the newscaster continued._

"So what's with the freak show?" Snow asked beside me.

Cid Raines answered him.

"So the Primarch can stand victorious in judgment of the villainous l'Cie, with their execution as the climax," he said slowly, his shoulder-length black hair rustling as he turned back to the screen.

"The people will cheer their demise, and fal'Cie dominion will be undisputed."

"All part of the plan," I said, crossing my arms.

"Yes," Raines said. "But it also presents and opportunity."

"_In a display of unwavering dedication to duty, the Primarch himself has boarded the Palamecia and focused his personal attention on resolving the Pulse crisis."_

"They're baiting us. Trying to draw us out," Fang said, her hands on her hips and a scowl crossing her face.

"Bait, huh?" Snow repeated.

I took a few steps forward. "Yeah, that's right; 'here are your friends, come and get 'em'."

Snow grinned. "Well, if they're daring us to mount a rescue, I'll take that action," he pounded his fists together. "All in."

Rygdea chuckled.

"Alrighty, bets are on the table. We leave when you're ready. I'll be standing by."

I turned to the other l'Cie.

"Rescuing Sazh and Vanille is our top priority," I said. "We ready?"

Fang nodded.

"I'll be damned if I'm just gonna stand around while Vanille's in trouble," she said determinedly.

"But we need to play it safe; no charging in without a plan this time," Snow added with a grin. He chuckled. "Listen to me, talking strategy."

"Let's do this," Hope said fiercely, nodding at me.

I stared around at the l'Cie, taking in their determined and defiant expressions. This was it.

"Okay, let's go," I said, turning to Rygdea, who nodded in response.

"Follow me," he said, leading us down the walkway of the bridge.

"Where are we going?" I asked, following beside him.

Rygdea just smiled and lead us through a large blast door, and I narrowed my eyes at the ship that awaited us.

"This baby back here's a PSICOM vessel," Rygdea said smugly. "It'll deliver you to the Palamecia."

"Oh, we're cargo now?" Snow asked lightly.

Rygdea laughed. "A parting gift to our rotting government. Take those PSICOM guys apart."

I ignored the painful pang in my chest with each mention of PSICOM, and the reminder of the now deceased member of our team.

"And we're supposed to take on all of them?" I asked. "I think the whole division's on board."

Fang took a step forward so that she was standing beside me.

"I don't care how many lackey's they've got. Bring 'em on! Vanille's in there."

Hope was the one to reassure her quickly escalating stress levels.

"I'm sure she's fine," he said. "Vanille's tougher than I could ever be."

I turned to him.

"Hope, are you scared?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah," he said, laughing. "I'm terrified. But I'll be okay."

He looked up at me.

"Because I have you," he continued. "And this guy," he indicated Snow, "and Fang. We're all in this mess. We've got to stick together."

I smiled; he had grown so much over the last few days.

"Right," Rygdea interrupted. "Enough with the bonding. It's go time."

I exhaled, completely focused on the mission. Rygdea boarded first, and I followed silently, settling into the passenger seat beside our Cavalry pilot.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

"Anything?"

I opened my eyes at Vanille's questioning gaze.

"Yeah?" I asked forlornly. After two hours of racking my brains for a way out and coming up empty, I had just pushed all negative thoughts from my mind. As such, coming back to the present brought with it all the looming danger that was planned for us doomed l'Cie.

Primarily, the impending execution.

I shook my head.

"Sorry, Vanille. We're pretty much screwed right now," I said softly.

She sighed, and I saw a flicker of worry cross her brow, but it was only there for a moment.

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

The Palamecia loomed closer, a giant white blemish in the sky. I leaned forward in my seat, peering out the windshield.

"Why aren't we landing?" I asked impatiently.

Next to me, Rygdea shrugged and spoke into our stolen ship's communicator.

"What's the holdup?" He asked.

A static voice answered.

"_Stand by. Verifying identification code."_

"You let me land this bird, or I'll crash her into your ass!" Rygdea burst out.

There was a moment of silence as two ships flanked us, scanners covering our vehicle.

"_Code verified. You're free to dock," _The voice said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. So far so good.

"About damn time," Rygdea said.

Rygdea piloted the vehicle between a mass of ships, steering us toward the rear end of the Palamecia. We followed a long landing trail towards the ramp as a voice cut across the communicator.

"_All clear, welcome aboard."_

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

In one swift movement, I pounded my fist against the steel wall, hard. Pain flared through my wrist and hand, but I ignored and exclaimed angrily.

"What're we gonna do!" I almost screamed it to the ceiling.

"James, calm down," Sazh said consolingly. "Screaming ain't gonna help us get out of here."

"That's just it!" I growled hopelessly at him. "Nothing is going to help us."

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

The docking bay of the Palamecia was a writhing mass of catwalks and machinery connecting the landing ramp. At the far end was a circular elevator leading up into the ship.

"_Code Red! Repeat, Code Red!" _A voice sounded around us, echoing from the intercom. _"Attention all crew, this is not a drill! Code Red!"_

At that moment, the elevator descended rapidly, and three PSICOM soldiers exited, their guns up and aimed at us.

"Alright," Snow said, settling into a fighting stance. "Let's tear 'em up!"

I drew my gunblade, my muscles tensed for the battle to come.

"We're here for Vanille and Sazh. Stay focused!" I yelled to my companions.

I didn't wait for a response, instead dashing forward as the soldiers started firing. I dodged sideways, the world rotating as I somersaulted around the soldier on the left. My gunblade came up, stabbing into the soldier's chest. I was already moving as the blood sprayed from the mortal wound.

Beside me, Fang launched a powerful kick at the soldier in the center, and he went flying backwards, crashing into the wall and slumping down to the ground slowly.

Meanwhile, Snow had slid beneath the rapid fire of the remaining soldier, sweeping his leg out from under him at the end of his movement. The soldier flipped into the air, completely horizontal from the sweep. In one swift move, Snow came up and caught the soldier's leg while he was still in midair, spinning in a full revolution. After one full circle, Snow let go of the soldier's leg, and he was thrown several meters away. The soldier screamed as he flew over the edge of the ramp, disappearing into the open air.

It was over in seconds.

"Hm," Snow grunted, obviously pleased with himself.

"Come on, everyone," I said, heading to the elevator.

I lead the way, stepping onto the platform and slamming my fist against the 'up' button. The elevator jolted to life, and we were sent up.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

"_Code Red! Repeat, Code Red!" _A voice echoed around the tiny cell, screaming its emergency throughout the ship. _"Attention all crew, this is not a drill! Code Red!"_

A wave of mixed emotions coursed through me. The message on the intercom meant that something was happening. Relief, apprehension; could help be coming after all?

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

The elevator had stopped, far short of its destination.

"What now?" Hope asked.

I narrowed my eyes as I perused my overactive brain.

The elevator was the open type, with a narrow strip of railing circling the entire platform.

"We get off," I said, launching myself out of the elevator and onto the railing.

The others followed, and I ran down the railing. Outside the elevator was a catwalk that crisscrossed around the cavernous room, and I lead the way towards the wall, where an opening intersected the catwalk. The four of us were quick to cover its long expanse, and a tell-tale arch of clear blue sky greeted us. The long corridor ended outside the ship.

The exit was in fact a sheer drop onto several floating platforms that were a part of the ship's design. The fall was nothing for us l'Cie.

"Won't be going back that way," Snow said, looking up at the door.

"We'll find another route," I said, turning to look around.

"Way ahead of you, see that?" Fang pointed to a rounded, walled corridor leading back into the ship. A staircase of floating platforms preceded the entrance. "Don't go getting' blown away now," she said, her wild hair whipping in the wind.

"I'll do my best," I retorted sarcastically, but the wind was strong, and the cool air pricked at my exposed skin.

I led the way towards the corridor, stepping from platform to platform. I was worried about the others, but they managed perfectly, keeping up with my steady pace. Even Hope was able to keep up.

"Lightning, look out!"

Fang's voice was lost in the wind, but my head spun around just in time to see a yellow machine careen towards me, spinning like a horizontal tornado.

I dodged, my body arcing as the machine flew past me, only to correct its course a second later and head for me again. This time, I swung my gunblade as I moved my body out of harms way, the long blade slicing through metal and machinery as the bioweapon was cut in two.

"Let's keep going," I said, jumping to the next platform.

"Not even l'Cie will survive a fall from this height," Fang said, craning her neck to see the stretch of water rumbling miles below us.

"Kind of makes you dizzy, doesn't it?" Hope asked, following Fang's gaze.

Fang grinned.

I ignored their banter, focusing wholly on the objective. Once we reached that door we would be one step closer to rescuing Sazh and Vanille.

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

With one hand cupping my face, I leaned down, my elbows on my knees. I hated waiting.

"Sazh," Vanille said somberly. The dark-skinned man didn't look up at first. He was standing with his arms crossed, restlessness emanating from his still figure. Then he moved, sitting down beside me.

"I'm pathetic," he said hopelessly.

"That's my line," Vanille said, her expression just as downcast. "I'm the one who lied to everyone."

"Forget it. You can't change what's done," Sazh said.

I looked from one to the other, undecided on whether to intervene. Sazh had told me how it was Vanille's fault that Dajh was now encased in stone. Such a moment should not be interrupted.

"But, if I'd just told the truth-!" Vanille started, standing. Sazh's still unnamed chocobo chick flew from one end of the cell to the other.

"Now, now, now," Sazh said, holding out his hand for the tiny yellow bird to land. "James is right. All the evidence points to Dajh waking up."

I nodded reassuringly.

"One day he will, Sazh," I said. "I'm sure of it."

"What was it like?" Sazh asked the orange-haired girl. "I mean, how did it happen? You were done with your Focus, right?"

I looked up, interested to hear what information Vanille was willing to share.

"I was chosen," she said. "I was made into a l'Cie to fight against Cocoon. It happened back on Gran Pulse, hundreds of years ago." She sat down slowly, her voice suddenly sounding much more mature than her youthful body showed.

"We finished our Focus, and we fell into a long crystal sleep."

_**Day 1**_

_The darkness was receding, and eternity of constant blackness, consuming my entire being. But the void was lifting, and I finally felt something. The sense was like the breath of life as a shiver ran down my spine, from my head to the tips of my toes. A slight breeze caressed my skin, and I opened my eyes, a smile still carved into my face. It wasn't like being able to see after a lifetime of blindness; more like I was just following a motion embedded deep in my brain._

_The crystal flowed away from my naked body, like shedding a layer of skin, except pleasant. I waited patiently until the crystal was gone, and I was floating in the air, a wave of light enveloping my figure, still holding the same position I had maintained for centuries. Like magic, cloths appeared, fitting my frame snugly. They could even be the same ones I was crystallized in on Gran Pulse._

_I was slowly levitated to the cold stone floor. The intricate lines separating the carvings beneath me, and my eyes closed as the darkness again covered me._

_This time, it was like seeing anew. I spent moments staring at my new surroundings until a body lying next to me filled my vision. Fang, unconscious on the ground. I crawled over to her, one arm snaking around her body. I shook her shoulder._

"_Fang!" I cried desperately, and sweet relief filled me as she woke. Once I realized that she was strong enough to stand, I turned away from her, suddenly intent on finding out exactly where I was._

"We woke up, on Cocoon," Vanille continued. "To the start of a new Focus. Fang, she'd forgotten everything. And for me; just the thought of hurting people again... It was too much. So I lied. I played dumb, said I'd lost my memory. I wanted to escape my fate as l'Cie. And ever since then, I've been running away from it."

* * *

**LIGHTNING**

* * *

Our band of l'Cie followed the corridor, which opened into a wide hallway heading both left and right. I pressed my back to the wall, and Snow peered around the corner.

"Let us through!" he yelled. "Block our way, you die!"

Fang looked at him skeptically.

"You _trying_ to get 'em angry?" she asked, her hands on her hips.

Snow shrugged.

"I thought maybe they'd run. There's been enough blood spilled."

I shook my head, sighing heavily. Was he incapable of thinking logically?

"You thought they'd run?" I asked him. "Let me refresh your memory. Those soldiers think they're protecting Cocoon from l'Cie. The fal'Cie have them all brainwashed."

Snow frowned, then his fist came crashing down onto the wall. A loud clang echoed in the corridor.

"Fal'Cie... I have had it! We cannot let this go on!"

The alarms seemed like a timed response.

"_Attention all crew: Code Green! Repeat: Code Green! Security forces stand by! Hostile forces on board, Code Green!"_

"That doesn't sound like a warm welcome." Fang said, a smile on her face at the rallying PSICOM soldiers.

"And you're surprised?" I asked her, my gunblade already in my hand.

She snorted.  
"Not really. Seems to fit all the stories."

I grinned. "I guess it does."

The hallway was long, and twisted and turned everywhere. Groups of soldiers littered the area, guarding several lines of defense.

I ran forward, impaling the first soldier on my blade, avoiding the blood that streamed from the wound, and instead spinning towards the next soldier. His bullets were wide of their mark, and I closed in easily, streaking past him with my blade held away from me so that it sliced through the soldier's flesh as I dashed past.

We crossed several lines in similar fashion, hacking and slashing a bloody path through the metallic hallway. The corpses began to pile up behind us, but the way forward was a never-ending flood of PSICOM fodder. As we neared the end of the hallway, I skid to a stop.

In front of us was a single line of bioweapons, their mechanical bodies just yearning to tear us apart.

"That's just perfect," Fang said, slowing down so that she was standing next to me.

Snow stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

"Leave it to me," he said menacingly, and he charged forward, his hands waving in front of him.

Trails of ice appeared on the floor beneath the bioweapons, and they began to slip and slide on the unstable surface. One fell, crashing to the floor, shaking the ground with the force of impact. Then Snow was upon them.

They had no hope, careening about the narrow space as they were. Snow's fist slammed into the nearest one, its head ripping from its body, only to topple over a second later, wires sparking on the ice.

Snow moved on, his next punch going straight through the metal frame of the bioweapon's torso, and when he pulled his arm back, his fingers were closed around a bunch of snapped wiring.

The bioweapon turned, still active, its limbs flailing as it hit its surrounding allies, until the line of bioweapons were scattered around the floor, electricity crackling in each one.

"Nice work," I said, and together we left the hallway through another overly large door.

I could feel it. We were getting close.

"Don't worry guys, we're coming for you."


	15. Fates Intertwined

**FATES INTERTWINED**

* * *

**JAMES**

* * *

"_Attention all crew: Code Green! Repeat: Code Green!"_

I looked up, Vanille gasping in astonishment at the sudden warning.

"_Security forces stand by! Hostile forces on board, Code Green!"_

Then the cell door slid open, and a single bioweapon flanked by two PSICOM soldiers strode in, their weapons at the ready.

"Get up! You're being moved!" One of the soldiers said, his voice sounding impossibly low through his helmet.

The other approached Vanille, grasping her roughly by the arm.

"On your feet scum!" the soldier said angrily.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" I cried, but the first soldier turned his rifle towards me, and I quieted, glaring at his helmet.

"You too!" the soldier said, taking a step toward Sazh and I.

I sighed despairingly, but Sazh just leaned back.

"Get him," Sazh said, and the chocobo leaped from its hiding place within Sazh's afro and zoomed straight towards the unsuspecting soldier.

It was the moment Sazh needed to jump forward, tackling the soldier with all his strength. On the other side of the cell, the second soldier turned, surprised, just as Sazh used the first jailor as a battering ram, and shoved them both into the cell walls.

I got to my feet, intending to deal with the remaining bioweapon, but Vanille beat me too it. She snatched up one of the soldier's rifles and whirled, bullets spewing from the barrel and colliding with the bioweapon. That too, fell in a haze of fire and smoke.

I turned my wide eyes onto Vanille, who shrugged.

"Very nice," I said approvingly.

Sazh shrugged, and turned to us.

"All right, time to split," he said, the chocobo chick once again nestled safely in his hair. "Not _run_. There's a difference."

"Gotcha," Vanille said, and I nodded retrieving the other rifle and following them out of the cell.

"Okay, first we need to find our weapons," Sazh said, taking the lead. "Where do they keep the evidence?"

I sighed, feeling a rather meticulous pang as I realized that I would have to make do with the rifle. Soldier's Edge was long gone, probably left in the broken Subjugator.

"I don't know," I said. "I've never been on this ship before." I shuddered at the word, and for the next few seconds, just tried to concentrate on anything but the motion of the ship in flight. The plain steel wall was suddenly very interesting. There was even a little scratch on its polished surface.

"We could ask someone," Vanille suggested, and I looked at her.

"Sure, we'll stop the next officer we see and just ask him for directions," I said sarcastically.

"Or we could use a map," Sazh said, his voice further away that before.

I spun to find Sazh staring at the outside of the next door. It led to another section of the ship, but emblazoned on the side was a map of the _Palomeceum_.

"I guess a map could work," I said sheepishly, but stepped over to the picture and scanned it.

"Here," I said, jamming my index finger on the tiny word reading 'Evidence'. "That's where we need to go. Follow me."

Then I turned and followed the route indicated on the map, Sazh and Vanille following closely behind me.

We had barely gone ten meters when three guards stepped around the corner, conversing loudly.

I froze. There was no time to hide, nowhere to duck out of sight until they passed us by.

They saw us, and I reacted.

They were still for a single second, but that was all the time in the world for me, and I brought the rifle up, firing two quick shots as I closed the distance between myself, and the three soldiers.

Two dropped, blood splatters on their helmets, and the third, the one in the middle, lifted his own weapon.

He never got the shot off.

I dashed forward, the butt of the rifle slamming into the soldier's stomach, and he doubled over, his gun falling from his hands as he clutched his midsection.

With one swift motion, my knee jerked upward, colliding heavily with his chin. The soldier flew backwards, gasping for breath. He was completely winded.

I motioned for my two companions to follow me, and I started walking down the corridor. The soldier was still on the floor, rolling around in agony, but I barely paid any attention to him. Without looking down, I pointed the gun one-handed at his head, and was about to pull the trigger when I stopped.

I looked down, unsure as to why I hadn't put a bullet through his brain. He was the enemy, and that was how you dealt with your enemies.

Then he began to get up, and I squeezed my finger, a burst of lead speeding into his skull.

That was how you dealt with enemies...

"James, what's the holdup?" Sazh asked. He and Vanille were far ahead of me now.

I looked up.

"Nothing," I said, and hurried forwards, leaving the soldier to lie in his crimson grave.

I stopped next to Sazh and Vanille, where they stood at a door marked 'Evidence'.

"Convenient," I said, stepping over the threshold.

Several crates lined the back of the small room; most were labeled 'dangerous'.

"Check for our weapons," Sazh ordered before tearing open the nearest crate.

I forlornly checked the many boxes that were strewn into the small room. I already knew I wouldn't find what I was looking for. My father's rifle was lost, probably still in Palumpolum, stuck into that bioweapon's head. Instead, I grabbed a large combat knife and a jet black rifle.

"Got everything?" I asked, turning to see Sazh and Vanille happily caressing their weapons. They nodded, and I led the way out and back down the corridor. Then Vanille's face fell.

"Do I deserve to escape?" She asked, staring at the floor.  
"What, you'd rather die?" Sazh asked, sighing. "Because that's gotta scare you. Scares me. Scares me so much I think I might die of fright."

The man shrugged then, suddenly looking older, as if his years were catching up to him.

"So, I push myself to live even harder. I can just imagine Dajh, laughing at me talking this nonsense," he said, chuckling. "Right now, I'd do anything to see that smile."

"It's a reason," I said, my mind jumping towards Lightning, and the possibility of seeing her again. "Don't you want to see Fang again?"

"I guess…" Vanille said slowly.

"Then you deserve it," I said forcefully.

Sazh grinned.

"Stay positive, right?" he said, throwing his arms up. Then he walked away without a backward glance.  
"Let's go, Vanille," I said, following Sazh and securing the rifle on my back. Vanille nodded, trailing behind me.

Our small band of three traversed the winding corridors of the _Palomeceum_, taking out everything in our path, which admittedly wasn't much. I grew suspicious of the lack of security. Surely there should be more men monitoring the halls during an escape attempt, especially when the escapees were dangerous l'Cie. But we had no trouble.

"_Code Purple! I repeat: Code Purple! Security breach! All units on alert! Code Purple!_"

The intercom blared overhead, shattering our senses with its urgent message, and we stopped right before a large door. I shared a glance with Sazh.

"Looks like we ain't the only ones cleaning house. It could be l'Cie," Sazh said.

"Could be Fang," Vanille said.

"Could be Lightning," I almost shouted. Hope flared through me. Here was my reason.

"Come on, let's hurry," Vanille implored.

Sazh smiled. "Let's go get rescued."

Surprisingly, Vanille shook her head.

"No, not this time. For once in my life _I _am going to save _her_."

"All right, now you're talking! Let's go!" Sazh said jubilantly.

I took a deep breath, and followed them.

Here was my reason.

**LIGHTNING**

"_Code Purple! I repeat: Code Purple! Security breach! All units on alert! Code Purple!"_

"All these colors. What's it mean?" Hope asked, cocking his head.

Fang looked down at him with a glint in her eye.

"Means we're doing our job. Making a lot of PSICOM guys nervous."

A sudden tremor rocked through the ship, and our group braced ourselves against the shaking ground.

"Who are they fighting?" Hope asked.

"Vanille," Fang breathed dangerously.

"Let's go," I ordered, and we raced down the corridor, spurred on by the sounds of battle.

We kept pace for several minutes, none of us slowing, the doors passing us by in a blur, until Snow skid to a stop in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I hissed at him, but he was staring at one of the doors.

I narrowed my eyes and followed his gaze.

On the door was a name.

A name I recognized.

'_Jihl Nabaat'._

"That's the PSICOM director," I stated, pushing open the door to see what secrets lay inside.

I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen torture equipment in there, or perhaps a large map the decorated an entire wall detailing our path over Cocoon. Instead, I found myself disappointed as I peered around the office, which looked blatantly normal.

We filed in, checking the mountain of files that littered the desk. Fang was surveying a large painting of a beautiful Cocoonian sunrise. Her expression was one of disgust.

"Light, check this out," Snow said, holding up a stack of papers.

I walked around the desk to see, and he handed me the papers. I glanced at the page, and gasped.

It was a picture of James.  
The picture was grainy, and in black and white, but it was unmistakable. I guessed that it had been pulled from security camera footage. James was in a combat stance, and surrounding him were two PSICOM soldiers, obviously dead. Beneath the photo were the words 'CAPTURED'.

I suddenly felt faint.

"He's alive," I whispered, staring at the words. "He's not dead."

"But I thought you said-" Snow began, but I cut him off.

"So did I, but look, see what is says? 'Captured'," Not 'dead'."  
Another explosion rocked the office.

"He's here," I said. "He has to be."

"How did he survive that explosion?" Fang asked, shock and relief filling her voice.

"No idea," I said, not really caring how, anyway. He was here, I knew it, somehow, I knew he was here.

"Then we'll find him, just like we'll find Vanille," Fang said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, then looked back at the page.

A small paragraph was written at the bottom of the page.

"What does it say, Light?" Fang asked, who hadn't been able to crowd around like the others had.

I read aloud, "James Hudson, former PSICOM Elite, is a dangerous fugitive and l'Cie. Through the efforts of PSICOM forces, he has been captured and imprisoned, and is currently awaiting execution, which is scheduled for this afternoon at twelve o'clock."

"There's heaps of 'em," Snow exclaimed, indicating a large pile of the same page.

"They're posters, to put up in the cities, so that the public can see the execution of the 'dangerous l'Cie'," I said, scrunching up the paper.

"Let's get out of here," I said, throwing the ball of paper to the ground and heading for the door.

As I approached the exit, I saw something I hadn't noticed before. Above the door, propped in place by rods in the wall, was a black and silver rifle.

A rifle that was so familiar to me, it might as well be mine. Countless times had that rifle saved me, wielded with perfection by its owner.

"That's James's rifle," I said, reaching up and taking it. Jihl must have taken it from his when she captured him. Why would she keep it in her office? I wondered briefly.

It was like having a part of him with me, but this part I intended to return, after I rescued him.

I shouldered the rifle and walked out, resuming my sprint down the corridor.

The corridor opened out into a massive chamber. In the center was a pulsing column of steel that radiated light. A catwalk circled around the column, joining the column to an inner ring, and then to an outer ring. Security mechs and bioweapons patrolled the catwalk, but I cut through them with ease, my gunblade slicing through metal as if it were butter. I never stopped moving, merely sidestepped attacks as they came at me, countering with a swift slash of my blade, until the catwalk was a ring of cold, broken defenses. The soldier was near.

**JIHL**

The bridge was rampant with urgent activity as the crew crossed the polished deck, their movements so loud that people had to yell to be heard.

"Colonel! We've lost the intruders!" a female voice said, and I gasped, adjusting my glasses at this new information. The woman turned back to the screen in front of her.

"That means… we're Code Yellow," I said, then backed up, suddenly unsure of myself. " No, wait, Code Blue?" I paced up and down the raised platform that held the Primarch's seat. "If we were Orange, that would mean-!" I couldn't remember. The situation was now officially out of control.

"The escapees made it through! They're entering the engine room!" A man shouted from below.

The engine room. Hudson would know exactly what he needed to do to take out the ship. Would he destroy himself in an effort to bring down the _Palamecium_?

"No!" I shouted, throwing my glasses to the floor in rage. "Damn l'Cie!"

"Intruders located! They're on the weather deck, starboard side!" Yet another man said, not taking his eyes from his own screen.

"Make it rain!" I ordered, then I turned to the Primarch, who occupied his chair with an air of nonchalance.

"Desperate times demand flexibility," he said calmly, his white and purple robes almost shimmering like water with each subtle movement. "Code White."

**JAMES**

"_Bridge to engine room. We're losing __thrust. Engine room, do you copy_?" The intercom blared violently.

"_What is the status of the main reactor?"_

I ignored the voice and ran down the narrow catwalk, where, hovering above us, was a gigantic red sphere, pulsating with technological energy. The reactor core.

"Power's down," Sazh said. "What's going on?"

"No idea, but we should keep moving," I replied, leading the way forward.

I lead the two l'Cie along the catwalk, which formed a ring around the reactor, and was joined in the centre by a single circular platform.

I dashed onto the platform, only to be greeted by a massive bioweapon. It looked like an oversized armadillo, complete with a protective shell.

I fired at the bioweapon, but the bullets just bounced off the shell that covered its body. Sazh and Vanille joined in the attack with their respective weapons, but they had no effect on the bioweapon.

"We need to get rid of that shell!" I yelled, reloading and resuming my assault.

"Easier said than done, kid!" Sazh said.

"It always is," I murmured under my breath.

"I have an idea!" Vanille added chirpily. "Keep firing, make sure its attention is on you!"

I glanced at her, then nodded and circled around the creature, away from Vanille. The bioweapon turned as I did, keeping its eyes on me, immune under its shell.

Then, from nowhere, three long hooks pierced under the armor, just above its head. Behind the bioweapon, Vanille was straining on her weapon, looking as if she had just caught a large fish and was trying to reel it in.

The bioweapon roared, and with a tearing sound, raised onto its hind legs as the shell peeled away, followed by the creature as it was brought crashing onto its bare back.

I ran forwards, stepping onto the bioweapons exposed belly and planting my rifle against its mechanical flesh. With a pull of the trigger, bullets pounded into the bioweapon with deadly force, blood gushing from the wound as I targeted the one spot, until the creature was still beneath me.

I jumped off the bioweapon as we regrouped.

"That was amazing, Vanille!" I said. "Nice job."

"It wasn't hard; we just had to get it on its back. There's no shell underneath."

"Well it was a good plan."  
Vanille grinned, then turned on her heel and proceeded cheerily along the platform and back onto the catwalk, this time on the opposite side of the reactor.

A large door lay at the engine rooms' end, and Sazh stepped forward to open it.  
He waited for the door to slide open, but when it didn't, his face fell.

Vanille and I looked at each other as Sazh began to pound on the door.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed.

"Locked?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied, hanging his head and turning around.

I sighed and turned away from the door. Now where?

Turning around didn't make me feel any better.

Creeping along the catwalk towards us were a dozen or so bioweapons.

"Well that's just great," Sazh muttered darkly as he drew his pistols.

I gripped the barrel of my rifle tightly, and braced for the fight.

The nearest one, a large, overgrown lizard with claws as long as my forearm, let out a roar, then jumped forward on strong legs, pouncing towards me. If I had Soldier's Edge with me, my movements would have been different, but as it was, I ran forward, _towards_ the airborne bioweapon. As it neared me, I dropped to my back, using my momentum to slide beneath the creature and unleash a torrential hail of bullets at its exposed belly. Blood splattered behind me, and I emerged on the otherside, quickly flipping myself upright as the bioweapon collapsed, but that was only one of many, and my path of destruction continued.

The rifle couldn't hold a candle to my father's invention, and it was with great satisfaction that I discarded it, instead relying solely on the magical talents of a l'Cie. Three bioweapons sped towards me, intent on protecting the _Palomecium_ from the dangerous l'Cie, but I summoned the magic and let it fill my being. My hand waved rapidly, and sparks of elemental magic shot towards the bioweapons, slowing their advance.

Fire burned them, ice froze them, electricity shocked them, and wind crushed them, until only a smoldering pile of bionic machinery lay at my feet. Beside me, Sazh's pistols sounded in rapid succession, felling the bioweapons as he danced around their attacks. Vanille was equally dangerous, her foreign weapon striking down several at a time.

But it was with a sinking heart that we saw two portals open, side by side, and spew a dozen more bioweapons onto the wide catwalk.

"Any ideas, kid?" Sazh asked, gripping his pistols with sweaty hands.

I glared at the mass of machinery that was moving forward. At the front of the horde was a giant behemoth, standing in its hind legs and roaring ferociously.

"One," I shouted, then I jumped back, so that the three of us were side by side.

"Follow my lead!" I said, balling my hands into fists by my side.

"Amra!" I roared, summoning every ounce of l'Cie magic left in my body until it consumed me.

"Are you crazy, son?" Sazh shouted bewilderingly.

"If you have anything better, I'm all ears!" I replied as the magnificent, white figure appeared before me, between us and the bioweapons.

The Eidolon turned its metallic head, surrounded by what could only be a shiny mane, two giant swords gleaming in each hand. I ran forward, hearing Sazh shout out a foreign word. I couldn't make out what it was as I rushed to join the Eidolon in battle.

The Behemoth lumbered forward, moving gracefully despite its weight, swinging a massive axe-like object in its hand. I braced myself as the Eidolon raised a single sword, and blocked the weapon. They held that position as the Behemoth tried to overpower the magical soldier, then, so quickly that it was a blur, the Eidolon moved his raised weapon, and the axe sprang from the Behemoth's claws.

Ululating in rage, the Behemoth began to tear at Amra, but before the creature had lifted a razor-sharp hand, the Eidolon had thrust both swords into its chest, raising the creature off its feet with the momentum. The Behemoth roared again, this time in pain, as Amra leaned backwards and kicked with all him might, sending the creature flailing back along the catwalk, and into the mass of bioweapons that were trapped behind it, unable to creep past the Behemoth's hulking figure to join the battle. They scattered as the Behemoth slipped over the side of the catwalk and fell, all the way down.

Suddenly, as Amra recovered and resumed his fighting stance, all the bioweapons entered the fray, shoving past each other in an effort to reach us and the white Eidolon who had so easily dispatched its largest member.

Magic flew from my hands once more, but I could feel Amra gaining strength as we attacked the bioweapons. Then several of the smaller, yellow machines leaped forward, clutching onto the Eidolon and knocking him backwards. He struggled, but more piled on, desperate to fell the white figure. I fought them, trying to get them away from the Eidolon, but they held fast. All too soon, I could feel the Eidolon weakening, his strength waning, when a giant red machine swung its weapon, and bioweapons hurtled away from it. I gazed wide-eyed at the new Eidolon, propelled by rockets protruding from its back, and a giant yellow blade clutched in its hand.

I looked around wildly, and met Sazh's eyes. He was grinning, directing the Eidolon as it attacked alongside its white partner.

"Now Brynhildr, Gestalt!" Sazh yelled.

And before my eyes the red Eidolon began to shift, its body transforming into a dangerous vehicle, and Sazh jumped into the driver's seat.

"Now let's see what this thing can do!" he shouted to me.

As the crimson car span around the catwalk, I repeated his words.

"Amra, Gestalt!" I cried, and the Eidolon changed, as Sazh's had done, into the roaring lion that had saved my life before. With a smile as mad as Sazh's, I leaped lightly onto the lions back and joined the second Eidolon on the tiny battlefield.

There was barely any room for the Eidolon's to maneuver, but they managed to skirt around each other, fighting in tandem, and with each strike, the enemy's numbers grew fewer and fewer, until finally, we turned the Eidolons against the two portals.

With a roar, Amra ran for the portal, magic echoing from its body and smashing into the portal. The shimmering blue light disappeared, and the round object fizzled, and fell, clattering to the ground.

In unison, the Eidolon's disappeared, and we were left amidst the carnage. Vanille ran to join us, and we stepped around the broken machines and made our way back to the locked door.

"It's still locked," Sazh said, looking at me.

I shrugged. "We always have magic," I said, and blew a powerful blast of wind at the door.

The door crumpled under the force, and a portion of it swung inward. The door itself was still at the closed position, but now there was a large enough gap between the two portions to step through.

The three of us ran forward, entering a long corridor. I quickly checked a map on the wall.

"We're right beside the wing," I noted, turning to peer down the corridor. "Might be easier to see where we're going from outside," I said, but my stomach lurched at the thought of standing on the wing of the ship, surrounded by nothing but sky, where one misstep could send you falling to your horrible death.

"Anything's better than following this maze," Sazh said, and Vanille nodded in agreement.

"But, how do we get out, I don't see any door," Vanille said.

I grinned. "Then we do it the old-fashioned way," I replied, taking a step back.

"You guys might want to get behind me," I warned the duo, who were looking at me questioningly, but complied immediately.

I closed my eyes and let the magic flow through me, as I had so many times before. It seemed so natural now; so easy, and it was hard to remind myself that the magic we now possessed was a part of the l'Cie curse. It wasn't a blessing. PSICOM's own manadrives were created to combat l'Cie magic, but they paled in comparison to the real thing.

With a yell, I opened my eyes, my entire body glowing with a red aura. I thrust my arms out in front of me, towards the wall, and with a sound that deafened my ears, the wall exploded.

**LIGHTNING**

Our small group continued through the sprawling halls of the _Palomeceum_. When we reached the outer edge of the ship and stepped onto the enormous wing, we stopped, just for a moment, to breathe the fresh air.

"The wind, it's dying down," Hope said nervously.

"Yeah, it's stopping," I replied, noticing the lack of wind even though we were outside. "And we're decelerating," I added as the wing flaps raised in front of us.

"They up to something?" I asked myself.

"I don't suppose it could just be – I don't know – good luck?" Snow asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his black bandanna.

He spoke to soon, for at that moment, hidden pockets in the wing slid open, expelling several bioweapons.

"That looks more like bad luck," Fang replied forlornly.

"You've a point," Snow acknowledge, unperturbed by the appearance of enemies.

"Not to me," I said, drawing my gunblade. "That? That we can do something about."

I led the way forward, noticing that the length of the wing was patrolled by PSICOM forces. It would be impossible to avoid a fight, let alone try to gain the advantage of surprise; the open space would make us easy to see.

We made our way through the wing flaps, dispatching any enemies as they came at us. Knowing that each step brought me closer to our captured friends, and James, spurred me to fight harder and faster than I had before. My actions became reckless as I fought each group of PSICOM troops, each wave of bioweapons.

Finally, Fang stepped in, placing a hand on my shoulder after the battle. The wing flaps were behind us now, and we were crossing a lowered portion of the wing.

"Lightning, that's no way to fight," she said. "You can't lose your head now, not when we're so close." I shrugged away from her, but her wisdom sank in, and I stopped.

"You're right," I admitted. "A soldier who loses their head in combat is called a 'target'," I repeated the lesson I had learnt during my Guardian Corps training.

"Exactly, now let's go."

I found myself smiling at her back, suddenly grateful for her words. It had been a long time since I had needed a reminder on how to fight.

Watching her engage the next enemy, her Pulsian spear twirling rapidly, I saw how well she actually fought. It seemed that centuries in crystal stasis hadn't diminished her ability at all, and in seconds, I had joined her, fighting at her side.

"See," Fang said lightly after the opponent crumpled. "Simple, isn't it?"

I nodded, looking over the expanse of wing. Ahead of us was an area of moving machinery that operated the wing's trajectory during flight. A series of moving pistons joined by small platforms to allow engineers to perform maintenance duties.

"There, we need to go through there," I said, pointing at a path along the pistons. It was largely empty of enemies, who were patrolling the outside border of the wing.

"Hopefully nobody will bother us; it would be dangerous fighting there. That machinery doesn't look very stable," Hope said thoughtfully. "If anything, they'll wait until we cross to the other side."

The rest of us nodded, and made our way towards the respective section of the wing. As I had suspected, we traversed the machinery undisturbed, and took a moment to quickly check over any wounds we had received. I applied a potion on a large cut on Hope's arm, which healed, leaving a thin red mark on the place where the bioweapons claws had struck him.

"Thanks," he said gratefully, looking up at me. I met his eyes and nodded, then helped him to his feet.

As Hope predicted, once we had left the safety of the machinery, several PSICOM troops swooped towards us, flying through the air using jetpacks attached to their backs. They rained bullets down on us, and our small group split to avoid the gunfire. I retaliated with a quick surge of magic, which froze the flames issuing from rockets. The troopers jetpack iced up, and with a scream, he fell, hitting the wing with a thud, where he lay still. Whether he was dead, or merely unconscious, I couldn't tell, nor did I care at that moment, because two large bioweapons sped at us, eager to help their human masters.

I dodged a swipe from one of the bioweapons as a second and third trooper fell from the sky and landed at Fang's feet. She quickly pounced, spearing both of them with her sharp weapon.

As the bioweapon struck again, I lunged forward, my gunblade piercing the mechanical arm. Deftly, I flipped over it, and the arm fell, sliced off at the midway point. The bioweapon had no elbow, it seemed, only two straight arms; or one and a half, now.

I swung my blade again, and this time, the weapon cut through the thin midsection of the bioweapon, and with a grating sound, it split apart, now ready for the scrapheap, like so many of the others that had fallen at our hands.

Behind me, both Hope and Snow were casting magic at the four remaining troopers, aided by Fang, who was quick to take advantage of the distraction and attack relentlessly. Seeing that they had things under control, I turned to face the last remaining bioweapon.

It was like the first. It had no legs, only a moving platform that was carried on wheels similar to a tank. It attacked, and I somersaulted backwards, swiping with my blade in midair. I heard the clang of steel on steel and saw the bioweapon recoil, a jagged gash in torso that was sparking horribly. Grinning, I dashed forward, and raised my blade.

The bioweapon took a different tactic, and flew towards me. I shifted my weight, intending to side-step the machine and catch it as it passed me.

The bioweapon charged, and I dodge to the side, whirling gracefully, my gunblade arcing towards, when suddenly the weapon jumped from my hands, and I was hitting empty air with my empty fist.

One of the troopers had abandoned its comrades and attacked me, the bullets spewing from its rifle colliding with my gunblade and jerking it away. I dashed towards the blade, and the trooper fired again, and this time, the bullets hit their mark.

I had dodged behind the bioweapon, but far from stopping the bullets as I had hoped, it slammed through the machine, ripping holes into it. Realizing my danger, I flipped again, but a few of the tiny projectiles collided with my body, and I fell, groaning.

"Light!" I heard several voices yell out, and then the pain was gone. I looked up just in time to see Hope recover from the curing magic he had cast on me, to see Snow jump up, high, and swing hard at the airborne trooper. Then Fang was at my side, her face snarling in fury and beating the bioweapon back with a series of attacks, until the machine was a pile of beaten and broken parts.

I stood, feeling where the bullets had hit, but finding nothing except smooth skin.

Relieved, we regrouped.

The four of us headed into the open once more, and stopped, panting, as a giant flying bioweapon that resembled a vulture headed our way, rising from the below the wing and stopping to float in front of us, its wings beating heavy gusts of wind at us.

Fang stepped forward.

"So, Light… How you figure this makes us lucky?" She asked.

I readied myself and answered. "Because when we kill it, we one step closer to Vanille, how's that?"

The wild woman twirled her spear in figure eights.

"Well, when you put it that way!" She said, and then she struck, leaping up at the bioweapon. Her spear flashed, and burst into flames as she imbibed it with magic.

I followed suit, and my own weapon glowed a bright blue as I slashed wildly at the things head and wings. Snow joined the fray, as did Hope, casting a quick slow spell on the creature and then enchanting his own weapon.

Together, our relentless assault of magic and physical attacks began to wear on the creature. Its wings beat with less enthusiasm, and its jaws snapped harmlessly at the air where we had been. Sharp talons tore at the ground, but we dodged and parried with ease.

Finally, the bioweapon collapsed onto the end of the wing, and slid down into empty air.

Snow punched the air joyously.

"Now that's what you get for taking on the leader of NORA!" he cried.

I sighed, a deep sound which turned to horror, then to annoyance as a second bird-like bioweapon approached us.

"Another one!" Hope announced.

Snow stepped to the front of our group and peered at the bioweapon.

"One big, fat stroke of luck after another. I'm so happy I could cry," he said sarcastically to Hope.

The bioweapon swooped, and we readied ourselves, but at the last moment, it pulled up and soared over our heads.

"Tease us, will ya?" Fang shouted after it.

"Come down here!" Snow added, beating his fists together in anger.

Then an explosion rocked the side of the ship, and a mass of smoke escaped from a large hole in the wall.

We turned, expecting a fight.

Emerging from the smoke, chirping happily, was a small yellow chocobo chick, which flew towards us. Coughing, but grinning, three figures followed the tiny animal.

The first was Vanille, waving the smoke from in front of her and clutching her odd weapon.

I looked quickly at Fang, who leaned forward, as if unable to believe her eyes.

"Vanille!" she cried, and the orange-haired girl looked up, her face breaking out into a smile.

"Fang!" she shouted, running towards her. Fang copied her, and they met. Fang reached out one hand, and touched Vanille's arm.

Next was Sazh, his eyes twinkling as he saw us, and he waved, his face crinkling against the sudden light, and beside him, clapping the dark-skinned man on the back and saying something I couldn't hear, was the one man I really wanted to see.

James.

I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, still taking in the fact that he was actually here, alive.

The handsome brunette walked towards me, grinning in turn at the other l'Cie as he passed them. Snow gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder, and he laughed playfully. He passed Fang and Vanille, nodding at Fang as she turned to him.

"Long time, no see, Soldier boy," she said happily, peering at him with respect. "We all thought you were dead."

"So did I," I heard him say brazenly, and then he moved on, allowing the two women to return to their reunion. Explanations could wait.

He knelt in front of Hope while Sazh stopped to talk to Fang and Vanille. The soldier nodded, smiling at the boy with soft eyes.

"You look older," James said, looking him over. Hope smiled, and raised his head higher, and then he looked at me.

James followed his gaze.

"Lightning," he said.

**JAMES**

She smiled at me, and I walked towards her. She waited for me to reach her, but as I closed the distance, she took a single step forward and looked up at me. Her hand rose, inches from my face, and I stilled, waiting for her.

Her hand crept closer, and I felt her fingers brush against my cheek.

Then she was resting against my chest in a sudden movement, her arms curled around me. I let out a small sigh and reciprocated.

"You're really here," I whispered.

Again, the moment ended too soon.

"There you are," Snow said as Sazh approached him, and the older man grinned, waving.

"Miss me?" he asked Snow casually.

But Snow wasn't looking at Sazh. "Not you, the monster!" he cried. He was looking up, at a bioweapon that appeared above our heads. From Snow's words, I gathered that they had already met.

I pulled away from Lightning, and let my hands fill with magic, but the woman prodded me and held something out, something familiar.

It was a black and silver rifle, scratched and worn, but in one piece.

I looked at her.

"Missing something?" she asked with a grin.

I nodded and took _Soldier's Edge_ from her, feeling its familiar weight in my arms, my fingers curling around the trigger. I swelled with mounting excitement. Now I could fight.  
I pushed the button on the side, and the gun split, remolding itself into two long blades.

I dashed forwards, relishing in the feeling of wielding my weapon once more, and for a moment, I felt invincible. I would have to ask Lightning how she got it after we dealt with the bioweapon.

I slashed at the monster, avoiding its lunging teeth and talons. My blades sliced through mechanical flesh, and the creature roared. Around me, my companions were fighting as well. The monster was no match for seven l'Cie.

We attacked in unison, working together to distract and defeat the monster.

"Snow!" I called, dodging an outstretched talon and landing beside him.

"What?"

"Give me a boost!" I ordered, and without missing a beat, he knelt down and cupped his hands.

As I stepped onto the small foothold he had made, Snow heaved himself to his feet, lifting the weight with his enhanced strength, and I was launched through the air. The bioweapon screeched as I flew towards its head, and it snapped at me. Before its teeth could touch me, a colossal spell hit the bioweapons head and it jerked backwards, exposing its neck.

I directed my blades, and they sunk into the neck of the bioweapon. Blood poured from the wound and the wires within sparked.

I brought my legs up, using the blades to hold my weight, and rested my feet on the neck. The next second, I had pushed off the skin of the bioweapon, dragging my blades along its neck as I did so, tearing a long, lethal cut into its neck. I righted myself in midair, and landed on the ground as the bioweapon twitched.

In triumph, I waited for it to fall, but the bioweapon still had some life left in him. The wound, it seemed, hadn't been fatal, and it clawed at me, its talons knocking me off my feet.

I was on my feet in seconds, and saw Lightning and Fang hurl two balls of thunder at the bleeding laceration, where it impacted with the eyes.

A current of electricity ran the length of the bioweapon, and it shuddered, and then fell.

"Vanille!" Fang shouted again, and she embraced the girl. Now that the danger was over, they could appreciate each other's company once more. I heard a soft sobbing sound, and noticed that Vanille was crying. Tears of joy, of sorrow, of longing, all rolled into one moment.

I moved to Lightning's side, and grasped her hand tightly.

Then Fang knelt, and turned the orange-haired girl around. For a second, I wondered what she was doing, then she lifted up Vanille's skirt and examined the brand that was hidden on her thigh.

Hope, Snow, Sazh and I all turned at the same moment, coughing loudly.

"You've still got time," Fang said, relief tingeing her voice.

"Fang," Vanille began. "There's – there's something I need to tell you…" but before she could finish, Fang was embracing her again.

I couldn't hear what she said next, but it was obviously a private affair.

"What's wrong?" Snow said suddenly, and I turned. He was looking at Sazh, who wore a sorrowful expression on his face.

"Oh, uh… nothing! It's nothing," he said, recovering quickly. "So, what's on the agenda?"

"Toppling the Sanctum," Snow said, as if it was obvious.

"No, I mean really?" Sazh said, half a smile lighting his face.

"He's serious," Lightning said beside me. "We're gonna take down the Sanctum and give Cocoon back to the people. The fal'Cie have called the shots long enough."

I smiled. This was a plan I liked.

"Easier said than done," I said. "I doubt it'll be easy taking down a fal'Cie."

"If we pull this off, it will be a miracle," Hope added.

"Well, good thing Lady Luck's on our side," Fang said, shifting her weight.

Shadows passed over the wing of the ship, and I looked up to see several more flying bioweapons soaring overhead.

"More of 'em?" Sazh said disbelievingly.

"You know, this is getting really old," Snow said sullenly.

Fang grinned. "Check this out. A miracle – Gran Pulse style!"

She and Vanille ran forward, towards the edge of the wing.

"Be careful!" I called after them. "This doesn't look very safe!"

A wave on nausea hit me as I looked down at the solid wing below me, then the steeper edge, and finally the sky. I took a deep breath, and Lightning's hand tightened around mine.

"Vanille, go fish!" Fang said, pointing at one of the bioweapons that was circling back towards us.

"Got it," Vanille acknowledged, raising her weapon.

The bioweapon flew closer, and a stream of blue energy spat from its mouth, shaking the wing, but Vanille was ready.

As the machine flew away, she swung her weapon, and four ropes shot from it, extending further than I had ever seen them go. At the same moment, Fang sprinted down the wing, following the ropes.

"Fang!" Vanille called, signaling her, and Fang jumped, high.

The ropes latched onto the bioweapon, and lurched backwards, pulled towards us by Vanille.

Fang had reached the height of her jump, and the bioweapon soared beneath her as it lost all forward momentum.

Next moment, Fang had landed on the bioweapon, her spear thrusting into the creature's back and propelling it downwards.

They landed on the edge of the wing, the creature still struggling to escape from Fang and Vanille's trap.

"That's a good girl," Fang said, and then she turned to look at us and raised her arm. "All right!" she yelled.

Vanille hurried past us.

"Let's get on!" she said excitedly, and we followed after her.

I didn't move, and Lightning, still grasping my hand, pulled me after her.

This was going to be the most horrible experience of my life.

I had my eyes shut tight, a death grip on the bioweapon's back fin. I was practically hugging the creature. The rest of them were sitting, quite comfortably, on the creatures back. All except for Sazh, who had been the last to clamber on, and was hanging on for dear life, his feet flailing in the air behind him.

"Believe in Lady Luck now?" Fang shouted over the roaring wind.

"Yeah – Lady _Bad _Luck!" Sazh yelled back.

"Time to Purge a Primarch!" Snow shouted.

"You got it!" Fang replied. She seemed perfectly at ease on the flying bioweapon. Then she spurred the bioweapon forward, and it circled around the large, white ship.

I forced my eyes open, one at a time, and stared down at the ship.

Turrets on the hull began to fire at us, and bullets whizzed past our heads.

The bioweapon, furious at being fired upon, opened its jaws and spewed a hiss of blue energy at the nearest turret, which exploded in a shower of sparks and smoke.

It seemed to be the safest patch.

"Jump!" Lightning yelled, and I let go of the creatures fin and leaped.

I heard the screams of the others as they followed, and we fell, to be engulfed by the smoke.

The Primarch was the last obstacle.

Our small group fell through the large hole made by the bioweapon's attack. The smoke clogged our nostrils and lungs, until it dissipated, and we landed, badly, on a small platform inside the ship.

I groaned and rolled onto my back. My entire body was aching from the fall. Again, our l'Cie powers had saved us. Any normal human would have fallen to their death.

A hand appeared above me, and I grasped it. Lightning pulled me to my feet. I held onto her for a moment longer, then turned and looked around.

The platform we had landed on was one of many. A series of retracted bridges connected each platform, and each one was set on a lower plane than the last. If you were to connect all the centre platforms, you would be able to form a ramp, and at the bottom was an intricate bulkhead door. If my suspicions were correct, we had landed close to the front end of the ship, near the bridge.

"That door should lead us to the bridge," I said, indicating. "The OIC will be situated there."

Lightning nodded, but the others looked at me in puzzlement.

"Officer-in-charge," I verified, remembering that Light and I were the only soldiers in the group.

"Dysley's through there," Lightning added.

"Probably," I agreed.

It suddenly dawned on me exactly what we were going to do. For a moment, I wondered what my father would say if he knew that his son, the perfect soldier, was going to turn his back on everything he stood for. Shame consumed me as I thought about that, until I looked at my shoulder, and the black mark on it over the scars.

"Let's move," I said, heading to the edge of the platform and pressing the button on the panel that was situated there. The bridge extended, connecting us to the next platform down.

"We're still gonna have our talk," Fang told Vanille as she moved forward. "But let's survive this first," she said, loudly enough so that we could all hear her.

"Right," Vanille said softly.

We descended to the next platform, and extended the next adjoining bridge and headed down. The next platform in our path, however, was guarded. Heavily.

"They haven't seen us yet," Lightning said, stopping. "We should go back, head to one of the side platforms.

"All in favor?" I asked the group. Several nods answered me, and I led the way back the previous platform.

A second panel on the other side connected our platform with another. I noticed that there was a pattern to the arrangement of the platforms. First there was the one in the centre, then, slightly lower, were two more platforms, close to each wall, then, slightly below that, two more side platforms, then a centre platform again. Instead of taking the straight path, and clashing with several PSICOM soldiers, we could easily go around them by taking the side platforms, and then heading to the next centre platform, bypassing them completely. Hopefully, they wouldn't notice us.

I hit another panel, and we followed the bridge to the side platform on our left. From there, we headed down to the next side platform using another bridge, and then heading right to the next centre platform on the path.

In moments, we were standing in front of the door, and the soldiers had remained unaware.

The door slid open upon our approach, and the corridor stretched away from us. It was very dark.

"Ready," I asked, placing a hand on my rifle.

"Sure, this guy is going down!" Snow said encouragingly. His tan coat glowed with power, and the AMP symbols appeared on the back.

"Dysley won't be alone," I said. "He'll probably have a whole squad of Elite's down there protecting him.

"Don't worry, James," Hope said. "We can take 'em."

I looked at him and smiled.

"All right, then," I said. I exhaled, and followed Lightning, who had impatiently began running down the corridor, as if eager to force a fight with the Sanctum's leader.

The bridge was a round room, with computers and flashing lights on all sides. An empty space in the centre led to a raised dais. The Primarch himself was sitting on a large white throne, his white, extravagant garments flowing around him. Next to him, Jihl Nabaat smiled as we approached the dais. The corridor we emerged from ended in a ramp that led to the empty section of floor. High above us, the Primarch sat, looking down at us.

"Been looking for you, Nabaat!" Sazh cried, and we ran down the ramp.

In response, Jihl leaped from the top of the dais and jumped to the ground in front of us, landing gracefully.

Sazh drew his gun and pointed it at her. No doubt he was thinking of Dajh, and all that the Sanctum put him through. My hands curled into fists and I glared at the woman. Memories of the child, trapped in a PSICOM observation room, filled my head.

"Hello, James," Jihl said, looking at me. "The prodigal son returns, how fitting. Like mother like son, after all."

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"What is that supposed to mean."

"What's wrong? Dear old Dad never told you?"  
Told me what?" I retorted angrily.  
Jihl smirked.

"Perhaps he would have killed you as well, just like your mother."

"What are you talking about?" I roared, suddenly impatient.  
"Why, your mother was a Pulse l'Cie, James."

My heart skipped a beat.  
"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Your mother was a l'Cie, hidden among us, right under PSICOM's nose."

"My mother died during, childbirth, Nabaat!" I said through clenched teeth.

"A lie," the female soldier said. "Your father was already married to her when we found her. He discovered her secret, and he killed her."

My eyes widened in shock.

"That's not possible," I said, feeling a slender hand on my shoulder.

"He knew better than anyone the threat a Pulse l'Cie posed. He joined PSICOM straight after."  
My mind was racing. It rebelled against every word she said, but it made sense. All the lectures on PSICOM, on the Sanctum. All the talks about duty to Cocoon and the Pulse enemy. Everything my father had told me was based on his own experience.  
"You obviously weren't a l'Cie, so we let you be. And then you joined PSICOM, just like your father."  
"Shut up!" I yelled, but Jihl plowed on.

"He must be rolling over in his grave knowing that his own son was a Pulse l'Cie. The very thing that ruined his life-"

"I said SHUT UP!" I screamed. "I'll kill you; you and your master." I indicated Dysley, who had been surveying the scene before him with interest.

Jihl stopped, and placed a hand on the blade at her waist.

"Your Eminence, please escape," she said, drawing the sword. "I'll cover your retreat."

The Primarch repositioned himself in his high-backed chair.

"Why don't you leave, Jihl," he said in a drawling voice. "Or rather, take your leave. Humans have no business here."

I narrowed my eyes at the Primarch. His words made no sense.

They seemed to make no sense to Jihl either, for she turned, a bewildered expression on her face.

"What?" she gasped. "Your Eminence!"

Before she could finish, a white ball of magical energy collided with her back, and she collapsed with a strangled cry.

Jihl Nabaat was dead, and the Primarch had killed her.

We exchanged looks of shock.

"Magic?" Sazh asked, surprise etched on his face.

The Primarch raised his staff, and stood, rising into the air above the dais. Magic began to surround the staff, and screams echoed around the bridge as the remaining technicians were pierced by the energy. Each one was silenced, and none escaped.

"Dysley!" Snow roared in horror at the sudden death, but the Primarch didn't stop. He rose higher, and the magic hit the ceiling of the bridge, exposing the sky above.

"Monster!" Snow added. "People are not yours to use!"

The Primarch grinned as he floated down to our level. "What else does one do with tools?" he sneered.

I was speechless. How was any of this possible? Dysley was the leader of the Sanctum. The _human_ leader of the Sanctum. Wasn't he?

Snow reacted first. He charged the Primarch, his fist drawing back. With a shout, his fist snapped forward, only to be stopped by a green wall of energy. It seemed the Primarch was protected by a magic shield.

Snow was launched off his feet, and Hope rushed to his side, but he was uninjured, only shaken at his failed attack.

Dysley was speaking again.

"Cocoon is a factory, built by fal'Cie," he said in that same, drawling voice. "A factory for the mass production of human thralls."

I gritted my teeth at his words. Whatever he was, he would die.

"Not anymore it's not," Snow said as he stood up.

"What can mere men do?" Dysley asked arrogantly. "Without our help, death is all of which you're capable."  
_Our_?  
"You saw the fools," Dysley continued. "A mindless mob drunk on fear of a few l'Cie."

Lightning stepped forward, gunblade in hand.

"If they only knew a l'Cie was the one filling their glasses!" she said.

I clutched her shoulder warningly. Dysley had said 'our help'!

"Not l'Cie," I murmured. Lightning glanced at me.

"L'Cie?" Dysley laughed at the word. "You mean me? Oh child, perish the thought."

He rose into the air again, and a white owl swooped over our heads to be consumed by the shining light emanating from his staff.

"I am more than that!"

The light radiated outward, consuming Dysley with its brightness. I shielded my eyes against glare. Then it dimmed, and Primarch Galenth Dysley was gone.

In his place was an enormous, living machine. A massive head surrounded by four metal plates, each with its own, smaller white head. Two clawed feet jutted from beneath the two outer plates, clinking against the metal ground. Its hind legs were smaller, hunched beneath it, and they were hoofed.

"I am fal'Cie," the machine said. Its voice was deep, metallic; godly. "My name is Barthandelus. Voice of the Sanctum and Lord-Sovereign of the Cocoon fal'Cie."

I glared at the fal'Cie, my teeth bared in an angry scowl. My blades were already at my side, poised to strike. I slowly stepped around Lightning protectively, sinking into a half-crouch.

"Your kind feared the darkness, so we gave you light," Barthandelus was saying. "You begged us for the Purge, and did it not come to pass? Now you spurn my counsel? You must learn your place!"

The fal'Cie roared, and attacked.

Waves of energy poured from it in streams, and I dodge, praying that my friends had done the same. I barely had time to notice that the attack had missed all of them before I was slashing my blades against the metal plates. Dents and small nicks appeared under my assault. Then my blade his something soft. It was the white head sunken in the plate, and its mouth opened in what could only be pain. In retaliation, Barthandelus butted forward, knocking me back.

"James!" I heard someone cry, then Snow was at my side, pulling up and away as a second wave of magic blew passed me.

"Thanks," I said, but he waved me off and attacked the fal'Cie again.

"Try to hit the heads!" he bellowed, his fist smashing into the one of the far right. The force of his punch was amplified by the AMP drive he possessed, and the face cracked, a dark shining light appearing in its smooth, white surface. I watched as Snow drew his fist back once more, the resulting attack smashed through the white face, and it, and the metal pauldron that held it, disappeared in a haze of purple light.

Barthandelus roared, and he sank to one side, momentarily weakened. The magic that had appeared in front of it, gathering energy, dissipated.

Snow gave a shout of triumph, and set to work on the next white face in his path.

With renewed vigor, I dashed forwards, Lightning sprinting alongside, and together we attacked the two on the left. Regular strikes from _Airwing_, Hope's weapon, and Vanille's Pulsian rod, began to damage the metal. On the other side, Fang and Snow were slashing rapidly at the remaining pauldron.

With each attack, Barthandelus became more frenzied, and his attacks were more powerful. It was clear that he was unleashing the bulk of his fal'Cie power against us, but any time one of us was hit, another was quick to come to their aid, either with a potion or magic.

Suddenly, the last head vanished as Lightning's gunblade slashed through it, and Barthandelus collapsed. Though far from defeated, we took the chance to attack. Our weapons tore through its thick armor, and a black slime began to ooze from the places we sliced open.

Now damaged significantly, Barthandelus picked itself up, and a laugh escaped its throat. Its face raised away from the rest its head, and the shoulder drew back, revealing a mass of cannons and lasers.

"Get away!" I shouted desperately, realizing what was about to happen. "Get away, now!"

My companions heeded my instructions, and set up a magical barrier. There was no way we could avoid that, but if we could weather it, we could resume our attack.

The lasers hit the barrier with all their might. Waves of heat rolled over us, but they didn't break down the barrier. Only at the last, did the magic finally crumble.

"Again!" I shouted. "Hope, Vanille, try to weaken it! Snow, draw its fire! Light, use your magic! Fang, on me!"

Our group split into our assigned roles. Snow on the far side, drawing its fire with magic, Hope and Vanille launched a series of debilitating spells on the fal'Cie, Light, Fang and I put on the pressure in with different tactics, and Barthandelus staggered beneath our attacks.

"Now! Hit it now!" Snow roared. I felt a twinge of annoyance at having the leadership stolen from me, but only for a moment. Snow was just as capable of directing people as I was; him in Nora, and myself in PSICOM.

All that was forgotten, however, as all of us focused on the fal'Cie's head. Lightning dashed forward, launching a series of quick slashes around its face. Snow summoned every ounce of magic he had, both l'Cie and AMP generated, and smashed both fists onto the ground. The bridge rumbled at the impact, and Barthandelus' feet collapsed from under him. Hope, his whole body glowing in a white aura, unleashed an enormous ball of magical energy that struck the top of the fal'Cie with such force that it hit the ground hard. Vanille followed Hope, her own magic slamming into the front of the fal'Cie. The shoulders dented inward from the impact, crunching beneath the blow. Fang's spear shone with magic energy, and she slashed it in front of her. A wave of energy sprang away from her, as if the wind generated by the swinging of her weapon had been imbued with magic. The wave collided with the fal'Cie and cut into the metal, searing it.

With a roar, I raised my hands upward, towards the sky, and the wind that buffeted the ship from outside began to spin into a large tornado, revolving over the open ceiling. The end of it crashed downwards, piercing through the fal'Cie's midsection from above.

Barthandelus fell, and the defeated fal'Cie shimmered, and then disappeared.

There was a pause as we caught our breath, but no one really felt like we had won.

"A fal'Cie running the Sanctum," Snow said scornfully.

"Then… I guess it wasn't Eden controlling things after all." Hope announced, folding his weapon and tucking it into his belt.

"As I said," a disembodied voice echoed around the bridge; a familiar, drawling voice.

The Primarch appeared before us. He was once again in his human form, as Galenth Dysley.

"Guess fal'Cie don't go down as easy as the rest of us," Sazh said, his pistols in his hands. Each of us had drawn our weapons.

"Ease is not the issue," The Primarch said. "You have not fought to win. You should know quite well already the sure way of dispatching our kind. Ragnarok."

There were gasps all around, as we each remembered the vision we had shared when we had first became l'Cie.

"What's Ragnarok?" Fang asked, and I remembered that she had lost her memory when she had turned into a crystal.

As if in answer, the dead brand on her arm glowed, and she clutched at it, groaning in pain.

"Fang!" I cried, glancing at her hunched form, and she nodded reassuringly.

"Pitiful l'Cie, you've forgotten your Focus," Dysley said, amused. "Ragnarok is the beast one of you must become in order to lay waste to Cocoon." He raised his hand and pointed at each of us in turn. "You have had the dream. One among you will become that monstrosity, defeat Orphan, and destroy Cocoon."

Dysley vanished as he spoke, reappearing in sequence beside each of us, before returning to his original position in front of us. I shuddered as he appeared behind me.

"Orphan? Lightning asked, confused, asking aloud everyone's question.

"The font of Eden's power," Dysley answered slowly. "Orphan fuels Eden with strength, and Eden in turn sustains you and the rest of your kind. Destroy Orphan, and you'll release a force such as this world has never seen. Cocoon will be torn asunder."

Fang stood, her hand still wrapped around her arm, and her brand.

"So if I did that… Destroyed Orphan…"

Dysley laughed, and appeared in front of her, his face full of malice.

"Your Focus would be fulfilled."

"So what?" Lightning said, her gunblade arcing vertically towards Dysley, who vanished in a haze of light.

"Who says it has to be?"

Her words penetrated my mind, so intent upon taking in everything Dysley was saying, I had begun to feel the hints of despair, but she was right. Fate could be fought. Weren't we doing just that; ignoring our Focus and destroying the Sanctum.

Snow stepped forward and held up his hand. Clutched in his fingers was a blue crystal: Serah's tear.

"Serah asked us to save Cocoon before she turned to crystal," he said determinedly. "Save it! And that's what we're gonna do!" He looked around at us beseechingly. "Serah was trying to tell us how to complete our Focus, and we have-"

Dysley just laughed, cutting him off.

"Allow me to help you see the truth of things," he said. "The moment you arrived, your friend wept crystal tears. This was because her Focus required that you be brought together. That girl did nothing but assemble the tools for Cocoon's destruction."  
I looked at Snow. His mouth had dropped. I knew he would refuse to believe it.

"Did it never occur to you?" Dysley asked. "Or did you simply refuse to countenance the thought?"

The ground began to shake beneath us, and Dysley swung his staff. "If you will not face the truth, then face the peril of your plight."

Above us, the white owl returned, swooping low. I stepped backwards as it grew larger, becoming a sleek, white ship.

"Run l'Cie!" Dysley said, disappearing into the air. "See how stark reality is!"

Then the _Palomeceum_ began to rumble, and I stumbled.

"Come on!" Lightning said, leading us the open boarding ramp of the white ship.

The _Palomece__um_ was crumbling. It was losing altitude. Before long, the bow of the ship began to tilt, and an explosion rocked the ship.

Sazh was at the ship's controls, piloting it away from the explosion, and we flew out of the smoke that was billowing from an enormous hole in the hull.

"This is bad! The yoke's jammed!" Sazh said, trying to steer.

"What!" I said, pulling my seatbelt on.  
"I knew it was a trap!" Snow yelled, leaning over Sazh's chair.

"Something's coming!" Hope shouted from the side.

Through the window I could flame bits of metal flying through the sky. Parts of the _Palomeceum_. And speeding towards us was a second fighter ship.

_"Not so fast, l'Cie!"_

A voice echoed around the ship.

"Who is that?" Sazh cried, checking the communicator, but I recognized the voice.

"Yaag Rosch, PSICOM director," I said as the approaching ship launched a mass of rockets.

Sazh expertly piloted the ship, avoiding the rockets that were exploding around us, and each explosion jolted the ship.

"Hang on!" Snow bellowed.  
"You think!" I shouted, desperately clutching the back of the seat in front of me.

Sazh looped around the rockets, so that we were chasing the smoke issuing from Rosch's engines. Lasers fired away from us, but all missed their target as Rosch maneuvered evasively.

Then his ship disappeared from in front of us as he rode the wind, falling above us and sending a group of large missiles at us.

I screamed as they exploded around us, but we escaped the plume of smoke safely, a shield rapidly disappearing from around the ship.

"It's gonna be fine, Vanille," Fang said, not turning around from her position in the front.

"That was James," Vanille shouted back defensively, and the heat rose to my cheeks.

"What?" I asked as Fang looked at me incredulously. "That was scary."

Sazh was barely listening. Instead, he was looking at the steering yoke, which, I could see, was moving of its own accord.

"They hell kind of ship is this? Fighting on its own?" He yelled.

The two ships began to fly around each other, each trying to gain the upper hand.

"_Clever, aren't you?"_ Rosch's voice filled the ship again.

We could do nothing as the ship evaded, flying this way and that in an attempt to avoid Rosch's missiles.

"Can't we do something?" Hope asked desperately.

"Got me! I give up!" Sazh replied.

We were approaching the sinking _Palomeceum. _The air around the massive ship seemed to shimmer, and I blinked, but my eyes weren't failing me. We sped through air over the ship as a green barrier was erected behind us. The _Palomeceum's _shields! They stopped Rosch's ship from getting through, and his ship clashed uselessly against it.

Then we were on the other side of the _Palomeceum_, and heading towards a city. Tall skyscrapers intersected our path. I couldn't' tell which city it was, but at the moment, it didn't really matter, the ship was still out of our control. I looked back, at the sea of faces below us that must be staring up at the ship.

"Sazh, look out!" Vanille screeched suddenly, and we all looked ahead, screaming as we saw that we were on a collision course with one of the city's towers. Outside the window, the ship began to spark as a flickering screen surrounded it.

I shut my eyes, and, feeling Lightning sink into my arms, I waited for the crash.


End file.
